A Broken Princess
by a-little-bit-enamoured
Summary: Kate Grazer grew up in the walls of the Sons of Anarchy's only Australian charter, her father it's president and brother it's VP.When tragedy strikes, the club and only family she has ever known sees fit to send her across to the other side of the world for her own protection. Set before season 1 and complete AU for now. Disclaimer: Kurt Sutter owns Sons. I own my OC's.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this one is a little different especially in the way it starts out. It was born out of the idea of what would happen when a 'Princess' from a far and distant charter gets thrown into the Sons world. No characters that you're familiar with feature in it yet but they will. There's really not much else I can say here without the potential for spoilers so I hope you'll give it a read and let me know what you think.**

1/

 ** _December 2006_**

Kate Grazer, let out an exhausted sigh as she let herself into her South Melbourne apartment. Tossing her keys on the side table and kicking her shoes off at the door, she flipped through the mail in her hand as she headed toward the kitchen.

She screamed and then immediately let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the man sitting in the armchair in the corner of her sitting room. "Shit Wombat! You scared the fuck out of me! How the hell did you get in?" She asked, not at all surprised that he had been able to break into her apartment.

"It ain't hard to jimmy these windows open Katie." He answered her, a look of disdain on his face.

Kate sighed. As much as she'd tried to distance herself from it, Kate knew she couldn't escape the club in which she had been raised especially when they turned up at her place proving to her just how unsecure the little city apartment she lived in was.

"So to what do I owe the pleasure Wombat?" She asked glancing out the kitchen window as she headed to the kitchen to pull a beer from the fridge for him. Dusk was falling and after being on her feet all day she wanted nothing more than to sink into a steamy hot bath full of bubbles. She could smell her favorite coconut and lime bath oil now just thinking of it. She shook her head of the thoughts knowing that the presence of the biker in her lounge room meant she probably wasn't going to get what she wanted tonight.

"You gotta come home Katie." He answered her gruffly.

Kate sighed. At 6 foot 5 and built like a brick shithouse she knew better than to argue with him. It was his heavy set shoulders and his dark hair that had earned him his club nickname. Hell his nose was even squished in like a wombat but no one would dare to mention that to him for fear of losing all their teeth.

"And why is that?" She asked already knowing an argument she wasn't going to win was about to start.

"Shit's gone south with the Bandidos. Your dad wants you home. Barry too."

"Wombat, my dad agreed that I was safer here away the club." She pleaded ignoring the reference to her ex-fiancé.

"That was before the Bandidos waged war on us with the intention of hunting down every family member that they can."

"Why? What the fuck did you guys do?" She asked knowing that was a question she'd never get an answer to.

"It doesn't matter. But I've got orders not to leave here without you."

Kate sighed. "Wombat no one here knows who I am or my connection to the club. I'm safer here than if I go back home and announce my homecoming!"

"Look Katie I don't disagree with you but orders are orders. Your dad is my president sweetheart. I can't disobey him."

"Jesus Wombat. You know I want nothing to do with that club. Hell you were the one that helped talk my dad around when I wanted to move here, remember?"

"Course I remember Katie but he's worried about you and everyone he holds close. Barry is worried about you too."

"Barry and I split."

"I know you did but that doesn't mean he stopped caring about you."

"Shit Wombat." Kate sighed. "Do I really have to do this?"

"You know I'll drag you out of here kicking and screaming if you make me."

Kate gave him an unamused smile. "Yeah I do. Let me get some shit packed." She said with a sigh as she headed to her bedroom.

"Make it quick kid."

"Fuck Wombat! Don't start calling me that again! I ain't a fucking kid!"

"No you certainly ain't Katie Bear." He said with a smirk.

Kate scowled over her shoulder at him. Christ, she hadn't missed the club. Not one bit.

She fought back the anger that welled up within her as she drove her midnight blue 2002 Subaru Impreza through the city streets that had become home. She was proud of her car. It was the first thing she had bought with her own money. The only thing she owned that was truly hers. Half the furniture in her rented apartment was borrowed or picked up cheap. Her car was her baby and she loved it as such. She glanced in her rear vision mirror as she steered her car onto the Westgate Freeway to see Wombat following closely behind on his beloved Harley. She sighed. It seemed a long time since she'd had a tail.

"Goodbye life." She muttered to herself as she crossed over the Westgate Bridge, gateway between the city of Melbourne and its western suburbs. The past twelve months had truly been living. On her own away from the shadow of the crime world she'd grown up in, she truly felt she had found herself. Away from the clutches of the club she had been free to do what she liked without answering to anyone. As the Westgate Freeway turned to the Princes Freeway and the road that would take her home to Geelong, she knew that freedom was about to end.

She pulled up and parked her car next to the clubhouse that she had once considered home and got out pulling her bag out with her. She turned at the familiar purr of several bikes pulling in behind her. It didn't take long before she picked Barry from a group of them.

"Katie, I'm so glad you listened." He said approaching her.

"Look Barry. You know we're still over right?"

"I know cherub, but you know that doesn't mean I stopped caring." He answered her not daring yet to touch her. He saw her eyes soften at the name he used to call her in their most intimate moments.

She bit her lip trying hard not to let her guard down and let him back in to crush her heart yet again. Despite her better judgement she allowed him to wrap his arm around her waist and lead her toward the clubhouse door. She sighed as she looked upon the familiar reaper and blood dripping scythe upon it. The Sons of Anarchy, Geelong charter had been a familiar stomping ground for as long as she could remember. With her father as its president, her brother it's VP and nearly becoming the Mrs. of its Sergeant at Arms, in what had been a tumultuous relationship since she was 16, being a biker princess was engrained in her blood.

"Kate. You're finally here!" her father greeted her seeming more glad to see her in Barry's embrace than he was to see his eldest yet wayward daughter.

"Not like Wombat gave me a choice," she responded dryly.

"Kate after the shit that has befallen the club in the last few weeks there is no way we were leaving you unprotected."

"Dad none of the shit you've brewed up this time touched me in Melbourne. I'm safer there than here."

"Don't argue with me Kate. We all felt better about bringing you home."

"This isn't home." She muttered under her breath as she made her way to the kitchen at the far side of the clubhouse.

She hadn't counted on Barry following her. "Katie why've you gotta make it so hard for him to keep you safe?"

"Damn it Barry. I was safer where I was. No one there knows my ties with this club."

"It's only a matter of time before they figure it out, Cherub."

He saw her bite her lip at once again hearing his nickname for her. "Barry, I don't want to be here. I wanted to get away from all this. I grew up here and I was stuck within these walls every time club shit went south which was often and I have no desire to be affiliated with it now that I'm old enough that I don't have to."

"And what about me? Did you want to get away from me?" He asked turning on the charm that had made her fall for him in the first place.

"Barry don't do this. You know things weren't working out."

"Katie I loved you. I still love you." He pleaded.

"It didn't feel like that when I caught you balls deep in that whore a few months back. It felt like you'd ripped my heart from my chest and trampled all over it to be honest."

"Katie that was after you'd moved to Melbourne. I thought you didn't want me."

"That's bullshit Barry and you know it. We were still together when I was in Melbourne. You're just sorry you got caught."

"No Katie. I'm sorry that I was stupid enough to cheat on you. Being here around all the guys without you around, it got the better of me. I love you Katie and for what it's worth I'm glad you're back here and safe."

Katie hung her head and closed her eyes before meeting his gaze. He could see beneath the depths of pain he knew he'd created to the sweet, loving look he used to see all the time. "I love you too Barry," she answered fighting every primal urge within her that wanted nothing more than to feel his hands upon her, "but I'm not ready to get plunged back into all this again."

"I get that Katie babe and I'll be honest now isn't a great time."

"What the hell did you guys do anyway?" She asked hoping that Barry of any of them would give her some answers.

He sighed. "Look Katie, as the Sergeant at Arms of this club I can't tell you anything, but as your fiancé if you'll let me be that again, I can tell you that you are safer here than if you'd stayed in Melbourne."

She raised her hand up and ran it over the Sgt at Arms patch on his kutte and Sons of Anarchy beneath it. He caught her hand in his and kissed her fingertips. She brushed his fingers aside and pressed her lips against his losing her internal battle to not get caught up with him again.

He pressed his hand to the small of her back and returned her kiss, her lips soft and as sweet as he remembered them.

"Baz?!" Wombat's voice rang out across the clubhouse. "Where are you at? We gotta sort this out brother." He called.

Barry sighed as he pulled his lips away from the woman he'd loved for the better part of eight years. "I want us to work Cherub. We'll talk later okay?"

She bit her lip unable to resist him any longer and nodded.

"Go hang out in my room and I'll come let you know once we're done okay?"

Kate sighed. "Yeah okay."

Kate let the steaming hot water of the shower fall over her, pulling her hands through the honey blonde strands of her hair. She hated being back here, hated the feeling that she needed to be watched constantly and hated that she couldn't do her own thing. She knew there was no way her father was going to let her step foot outside of these walls without a tail, Barry too for that matter. She sighed. Growing up the daughter of the president of a one percenter motorcycle gang in Australia was one thing, but growing up in the only Australian charter of the Sons of Anarchy placed her even further into the minority.

She wasn't oblivious to what it was they did. She knew they had a large handle on the drug trade in Victoria and that they had begun to dabble in an illegal racket of guns coming out of California. She knew that the Australian charter was one of the lesser known ones of the many that operated across the United States and the rest of the world but that didn't mean it operated off the mother charters radar. She knew that Redwood Original took an interest in the daily running's of all charters that shared their name. She vaguely recalled a visit from the Redwood Charter's president when she was a young girl. JT she remembered her father calling him. He'd come over with his young son, Jackson and his pregnant wife Gemma, but he'd referred to her as an Old lady. Kate hadn't understood why. She was anything but. She was young and beautiful, headstrong and confident. She'd taught Kate's mother more than a thing or two about being married to the president of the club. She knew now that Old Lady was the term the American Sons used to refer to their wives or steady girlfriends. In Australia they used no such term, only the Mrs. or woman.

Kate wondered once again what it was that had gotten the club so far up shit creek that they felt the need to drag her back here. She was sure it was something not to be taken lightly. She briefly wondered if they'd been stupid enough to get themselves involved in what the media was referring to as the gangland killings but she quickly dismissed that thought. She knew that was at least one part of the crime underworld that her family wasn't involved in.

She wrapped a towel around her body and stepped out into the bedroom to dress. She pulled some cut off denim shorts and a tank top from her bag that she'd dropped on the bed.

"Shit Barry!" She cried out throwing one arm over her breasts as she pulled her panties the rest of the way up her thighs with the other. "Don't you knock?"

"Relax Katie. I've seen it all before."

"I know but …" she trailed off as he approached her, his rough handsome features sending chills up her spine in the same way they had when she was 16.

"C'mon baby. I felt you pressing against me when I kissed you out there." He said pressing his hand against the small of her back and drawing her closer. He took her wrist in his hand and removed her arm from across her bare breasts and closed the gap between them as he chipped her chin up and pressed his lips against hers. He felt her quiver against him and melt into his arms just as she had that first time so many years ago.

He took her breast in his hands and gave it a gentle squeeze before circling his finger around her nipple. "You like that baby?" he murmured in her ear.

"You know I do Barry." She murmured back biting her lip knowing that after all these years she didn't have to tell him what she wanted or how she liked it.

He kissed a trail down her neck before pulling away and hearing her familiar frustrated moan. "We'll continue this later baby. Finish getting dressed. Your dad wants me to take you home."

She sighed. "Yeah okay." She should have known the moment of facing her mother was coming.

 **A/N: So I hope this has enough in it to keep you reading without any familiar characters. I promise it will link up to the world you know soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, faves, follows on this story so far. Being the way it starts out I wasn't expecting much and also being that I didn't want to place any character labels on it straight away I was almost completely reliant on those of you that follow me. SO for that I thank you! Please continue to read and let me know what you think. Also please note that I have changed the title to something that fits it a little better. ~Happy Reading ...**

2/

It had been months since she'd ridden behind Barry and she had to admit it was one thing that she had actually missed. The warmth of his body in front of her, the close proximity of his body to hers and the exhilaration of the wind rushing around her.

He felt her arms tighten around his waist as they pulled up in the driveway of the Grazer household. "She just misses you babe." He said as she got off from behind him.

"I know. I just wish she wasn't such a bitch about it." Kate answered.

"You know it's just her way of coping with you being away." He said.

"Yeah I know." Kate sighed knowing that her mother would welcome her back with open arms, brushing the months of bitchiness and angst under the carpet.

"Hey she'll be happy to see us back together too." He smirked.

"We still need to talk about that Barry." She said as he pulled her to him.

"You know I don't plan on too much talking babe." He said placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Barry …" she began to protest when she was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening behind her.

"So I guess you guys have kissed and made up yet again?" Her younger sister's voice rang out dryly behind her.

"Yes Ivy I guess we have." Kate answered as she turned still in Barry's arms.

"I knew that'd happen as soon as they said they were bringing you home." Ivy stated.

"Well aren't you special Ive?" Kate said as Barry pushed her toward the house.

"Cut it out you two." He said already tired of the constant bickering between Kate and her sister.

"Mum will be glad to see you Barry. She's missed having you around here." Ivy said as she moved aside in the doorway to let them in.

"And what about me?" Kate asked mockingly.

"Of course you too. You're the friggin golden child Kate and you know it." Ivy answered her.

Kate had to admit that she was right. It did seem she could do no wrong when it came to their parents. Even when they'd learned of her relationship with Barry and the fact that they were having sex when Kate was underage and Barry so much older than her they'd done nothing to disallow it. She often felt sure it was only because of his rank in the club and how close he was to her father that they had done so.

"Katelyn!" Her mother gushed, the only person who still called her by her full name, "I am so glad you came back!" she continued embracing her fiercely the moment she set foot in the kitchen.

"They didn't give me a choice Mum." She said pulling away from her.

"I know sweetheart but it's for the best. You know they only call you back when it's urgent."

Kate sighed. "I know Mum. So what is it this time?"

Magdelena Grazer glanced at her youngest daughter before answering. "There have been death threats made against us sweetheart." She said earnestly the smallest part of an Italian accent leaking into her voice.

"Us? Or the club?" Kate asked looking to Barry for clarification.

"The threats made were specifically against family Katie." Barry said.

"And why couldn't anyone tell me that before?" She asked.

"We didn't want to scare you, babe." Barry answered.

"There's very little about this life that scares me Barry." She answered him.

"You know sometimes I wish you'd take this kind of stuff seriously." Barry sighed.

"Kate your father and the club have taken these threats very seriously so please do as anyone tells you." Her mother pleaded, remnants of her Italian accent creeping in again as it did only when she was anxious about her family.

"You know I will Mum." Kate answered with a sigh.

"Can I assume that you two are together again?" Magdalena asked looking upon her daughter and the man who sat ever so close next to her.

"Yes Mum. I guess we are." Kate answered looking across to Barry a slightly smitten look upon her face.

"She just can't stay away from me." Barry responded pulling her towards him.

"You two make me sick." Ivy declared as she stood to leave the kitchen.

"You're just jealous Ivy." Barry called after her.

"Hardly!" She called back.

"Are you staying for dinner Barry?" Magdelena asked ignoring her youngest daughter's outburst as if it were commonplace.

"Only if there's enough." He answered politely.

"Of course there is. You know you are always welcome." Magdelena answered as the sound of approaching Harleys filled the air. "It seems your father and brother are home just in time for dinner once again." She said with a smile. If there was one thing Kate remembered Gemma Teller teaching her mother, it was that the best way to a biker's heart was through his stomach.

"Hey Kid." Wombat greeted her as he entered the kitchen taking along whiff of the cooking smells drifting through the air.

"Wombat don't!" Kate chastised him knowing he meant to stir her.

He ruffled a hand through her hair as Lenny Grazer and his son, Jason followed through the kitchen door. "You know I'm only stirring Katie." He said.

"Hey Little Sister." Jason said placing one arm around Kate.

"When will you remember that I'm older than you Jas?" Kate asked her brother.

"I've told ya so many times Katie five minutes doesn't count especially when you're so short." Jason laughed pulling her close.

Kate smiled, beginning to feel at ease with being back home. It had been easy to leave all this behind but if she was honest with herself it was even easier to fit right back in.

"Ivy!" Magdelena called across the house. "Dinner's ready." She added as the men took their seats around the large table that sat in the middle of the kitchen.

Kate moved to help her mother serve up dinner just like old times. Magdelena smiled and placed an arm around her daughter's shoulder. "It's good to have you back Kate." She said quietly.

"I'm thinking it's good to be back Mum." Kate smiled quietly back.

* * *

It was late when Kate padded out to the clubroom barefooted. She'd woken alone and wondered where Barry was. It wasn't often that he got up again after she'd fallen asleep.

She found him sitting on a couch in front of the TV, some of the others with him, her father and brother amongst them. It was switched to a news channel.

"What are you guys watching?" She asked perplexed as to why they were all engrossed in the news at this time of night.

"Kate?" Her father said turning to look at her. His face was white, his eyes stricken with tears at their corners.

"What the hell is going on?" She asked turning her attention to the screen. "Wait. Is that? That's our house on the news." She was quiet as she listened to the words the reporter was saying. Jason reached around and took her hand.

"Police have no clues yet as to who was responsible for tonight's drive by shooting. What they can confirm however is that a woman in her fifties and a teenage girl thought to be that woman's daughter were home at the time and unfortunately both have died at the scene."

Tears sprang to Kate's eyes as shock set in. Barry caught her as she collapsed against him.

"How the hell did this happen?" She asked when she came to in his room later on.

"We underestimated them big time, Katie. We can't keep you safe here any longer." He answered her the heaviness of his heart thoughts evident in his voice.

"Wait what do you mean you can't keep me safe here?" She asked anxiously.

"You're going to the states. To one of the American charters until this blows over." Barry answered her.

"Are you serious? No way!" Kate protested.

"It's a club decision Katie. It's the only way we can keep you safe." Barry said taking her in his arms in an effort to calm her.

"But you're coming with me right?" she asked quietly.

"I can't babe. I'm needed here." Barry said running his hand through honey blonde hair.

"What the fuck Barry?" She said trying to break away from him, dangerously close to crumbling.

"It won't be for long babe. I promise. Two weeks, maybe a month at the most."

She sighed in acceptance of the situation. "So where am I going? Or hasn't that been decided yet?"

"Tacoma. You're Dad's organizing it now."

"And where the hell is that?" She asked having never heard of it.

"Washington. It's near Seattle."

She squeezed her eyes shut forcing back tears trying hard to forget the happenings of the night. Her mother and her sister both shot dead in their own home and she was getting shipped off to the other side of the world to a charter she'd never heard of.

"I'm scared Barry." She said quietly.

"You'll be safe there babe. Safer than you are here anyway." He said as he pulled her to him and let her sob against his chest.

* * *

 **A/N: SO next chapter will find Kate in Tacoma. Please, review and let me know your thoughts and ideas on this story thus far...**


	3. Chapter 3

3/

 **December 2006 - Tacoma**

"So why the fuck does she need to come here?" Happy asked from his spot at the table in the Tacoma chapel. "Why not Charming?"

"They made a table decision that she'd be safer away from the mother charter and I tend to agree." Lee explained from the head of the table. "By coming here she gets the safety she needs with the backup of Charming should it be necessary."

"So we gotta babysit some club princess from the other side of the world?" Happy continued.

"Something like that." Lee agreed.

"So is she a looker?" Kozik asked, a smirk on his face.

"I have no idea Koz, but she is likely to be quite fragile considering what she's been through." Lee answered him.

"Great. Just what this place needs, a broken and blubbering chick around it." Happy scowled.

"Her mother and sister were killed in a drive by Hap after a death threat was issued for her whole family."

"Shit that's rough." Happy responded.

"What the hell did the club do to bring that kind heat?" Lorca asked.

"Seriously pissed off a rival club from what I understand. Clay was sketchy on the details." Lee answered.

"Think we deserve to know the details and any heat that's gonna come to our own door because of it." Donut piped up.

"I agree. I intend on getting answers before she gets here. Koz have one of the girls clear out a dorm for her."

"She can share mine." Kozik joked.

Lee gave a brief smile. "While I don't doubt she will be warmly welcomed by you Koz, just remember what I said about her being rather fragile. Hap I want you to collect her from the airport this afternoon."

Happy scowled but nodded his acceptance as Lee hit the gavel against the table dismissing chapel.

Kozik followed Happy out of the chapel and hit him against the shoulder. "Cheer up Hap. This place could do with some new bitches around it."

Happy smirked as he cast his eye around the clubroom and the regular sweet butts that adorned it. "Yeah. Accept in my experience club princesses aren't exactly my type. They're needy and pretentious."

"Aww c'mon Hap. You haven't even met 'er yet. Maybe she'll let us tag team 'er." Kozik continued in his usual jovial style.

Happy scoffed. "Yeah maybe Koz." He said heading to the bar.

* * *

Kate stood and stretched her arms above her head before reaching up to get her only bag from the locker above her head. She yawned as she waited to get off the flight. After a total of eighteen hours in the air and a brief stopover at LA-X International she was physically and emotionally spent. After a make shift low key memorial ceremony that she knew had only been put together for her benefit she had been shuttled off to the airport to make her way here. It had been less than a week since the shooting and she still felt numb. Getting shunted to the other side of the world away from her family certainly didn't do anything to help her process the tragic turn of events.

She watched as those around her donned jackets and scarves and looked down at her own bare legs and arms. It had been 35 degrees when she left Tullamarine airport but she supposed it must be colder here.

"Thank you for flying with us. Enjoy your stay." The flight attendant at the door farewelled her cheerfully. Kate smiled a courteous smile back as she stepped through the door of the airplane and out onto the jet bridge. She took a deep breath having no idea what to expect. She'd been told only that she would be met by someone from the Tacoma charter.

She stepped out into the terminal and looked around her. Multitudes of people were being met with open arms by family and friends, or scuttling off on their way to another part of the airport.

"Are you okay dear? You seem a little lost." An elderly woman beside her asked.

Kate smiled a polite smile as she answered still looking about her. "Ah yeah. I'm fine. There should be someone here to meet me." And that was when she saw him. Across the far side of the terminal he stood, arms crossed over his chest, tall and bald headed with a serpent tattooed over it and a Sons of Anarchy kutte worn over a dark grey hoodie. With a striking and intimidating presence, he had to be the one sent to pick her up. She turned to thank the old lady for her concern but found she was already gone. She sighed and headed across to the tall muscular man that she was sure awaited her. She noted his fine chiseled features and high cheekbones and the toothpick bobbing casually at the side of his mouth as she approached. She tried to ignore the heat that rose to her face and the warming in the pit of her belly at the sight of him.

"Hi." She said cautiously as she neared him.

He eyed her up and down, taking in her small, svelte and curvy figure. Her honey blonde hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail and her eyes were the most delicious shade of blue. If he'd had to gauge the size of her tits he'd guess a full C, a little more than a handful.

He ended his perusal knowing he hadn't been subtle in checking her out. "You must be Kate." He said, his voice deep, gravelly and his dark brooding eyes boring into her. She sucked back a breath at the sound of his voice and the striking dark depths of his eyes.

"Yeah and you are?" She asked, her voice catching in her throat. She thought she caught a hint of a smile on his gruff features before he answered her. She guessed he was used to the intimidated reaction he was getting from her.

He heard her accent immediately, and although he'd been expecting it, it still caught him slightly off guard. He couldn't deny, even to himself, that he had a thing for accents when it came to chicks. He saw her bite her lip and then try to hide it as he flicked his toothpick against the corner of his mouth.

"Happy." He answered gruffly, a slight smile creeping across his lips as he saw the effect her was having on her.

"As in the seven dwarves?" She couldn't help asking with a smirk.

He scowled. "Yeah. You got any other clothes?" He asked her.

"Excuse me?" She asked taken aback at his words.

"Shorts and a tank top aren't exactly gonna cut it here." He explained, that slight smile creeping to the corner of his mouth again.

"It was summer when I left." She answered shortly.

"Well its winter here, little girl." He answered her gruffly.

"Let me get one thing straight. I'm not a little girl and I don't take kindly to be called that." She answered haughtily.

He smirked as he looked down at her. There it was. The club princess attitude he'd been expecting. "You're small, you're young and you're female. So in my book you're a little girl."

It was her turn to scowl before he spoke again. "You got any other luggage to collect?" He asked.

"Nope. This is all there is." She answered motioning to the bag on her back.

He nodded. Lorca's Old Lady was gonna have fun shopping with this one. "Alright let's get out of here." He said turning without a word. She scuttled along behind him to keep up with his long strides ahead of her.

Goosebumps sprang to her arms and legs as she stepped outside into the icy blast that greeted her. She hugged her arms over her chest and ran her hands up and down her arms in an effort to warm herself as she followed him over to his bike. She looked it over, impressed at the paintwork on the tank and its customization as he rummaged through one of his saddle bags.

"Your bike's nice." She said, admiring the reaper on the tank, as he turned toward her holding a hoodie that was going to be far too big for her.

"Thanks." He said. "Put this on before you freeze." He said passing the hoodie to her.

"Thanks." She said feeling grateful as she pulled it over her head. She couldn't help but inhale the scent it held as she did so; a crisp masculine aftershave and slightly smoky like cigarettes.

"You ridden bitch before?" He asked raising one eyebrow at seeing the smallest band of hem from her shorts sticking out from under his hoodie.

"You know I grew up in a club not unlike yours right?" She asked her voice heavy with sarcasm.

There was that attitude again. "Put this on," he said passing her a spare helmet before he threw his leg over his ride and waited for her to do the same. He was quietly impressed at the way she did so, placing one hand on his shoulder and placing minimal weight on it, merely using him for support as she swung her leg over and found her seat comfortably behind him. She placed a hand comfortably against each of his hips and didn't wrap her arms unnecessarily right around his waist like most chicks did. He could tell she'd ridden before and quite a lot at that.

He didn't bother to ask her if she was ready before bringing his ride to life beneath them and peeling out into the traffic leaving the airport.

* * *

It was a thirty-minute ride from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport back to the clubhouse and he was surprised at how well she rode. Her grip on his hips remained relaxed and she even leaned into the corners rather than trying to stay upright like a lot of chicks did.

He pulled up next to the clubhouse and parked his bike alongside a line of other bikes. She found herself feeling slightly breathless as she climbed off behind him and passed him the spare helmet. Glad to no longer be in such close proximity to him she looked around her, the sight of the familiar reaper on the side wall immediately had her feeling more at ease.

Without a word he took the helmet from her and hung it on the handlebars assuming that he'd be called upon to be her personal transport again. He stood up and led the way into the clubhouse and heard her scuttling feet follow behind him. He opened the door and held it open for her to pass through ahead of him. She looked about her. The similarities to home were striking but the differences also; the most striking difference being the number of scantily clad girls she saw hanging about. She knew what they were having been told some of the main things to expect before leaving. Her mother had always drawn the line at hookers or sweet butts she remembered them being referred to as. She had insisted that anyone who wanted them could go out and find them rather than needing it parading around in front of them. She swallowed back a lump in her throat at thoughts of her mother.

A blond man sitting at the bar who looked a little more surfer than biker, pushed away the red headed woman that clung to his side and rose to head her way. "So this is the Australian Princess?" He said by way of greeting as he looked her up and down in a similar way to how Happy had at the airport.

She gave a slight smile. "Before anyone asks I don't have a pet kangaroo, I'm not about to start greeting you all with G'day mate and I hate vegemite. Any other misconceptions you'd like to get out of the way?" She said.

Kozik smiled and she heard Happy scoff behind her. "So I probably shouldn't ask if a Koala is a bear or if you want us to throw some shrimps on the Barbie?" Kozik asked trying his best attempt at an Australian accent.

"No you probably shouldn't and you should quit trying to put on an Australian accent too." Kate answered him with a smirk. She had to admit that so far she liked him and his seemingly easy going nature.

"The name's Kozik." He said stepping forward and offering his hand to her. "What do we call you?" He asked as she took his hand in a surprisingly firm grip.

"Kate is fine, although almost everyone back home calls me Katie. Only my mother calls ... I mean called me by my full name." She said surprising herself at how much she had just begun to ramble about something as simple as telling him her name.

"And what's your full name?" He asked taking her bag from her back and tossing it onto a nearby sofa.

"Katelyn." She answered, but no one but my mother has called me that since I was about five so I'd suggest you don't use that one." She said quietly, a small sad smile coming to her face as once again she swallowed back the lump in her throat.

"Fair enough." Kozik said.

"I assume you know why I'm here?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah darlin'. We know." He said quietly placing a hand on her shoulder. She glanced back to where Happy still stood behind. He gave her a brief nod of acknowledgement. She guessed then that he was a man of few words and more was conveyed to her in that solitary nod than in any number of words he could have said.

"So you want a drink or somethin'?" Kozik asked.

"Um no thanks. What I would like is to be able to take a shower and change into something a little warmer." She said.

"Sure thing darlin'. I'll show you your room." Koz said rising from the bar and grabbing her bag from where he'd thrown it.

She started to pull Happy's hoodie off with the intention of giving it back to him.

"Keep it." He said gruffly before she even had it over her head.

"Thanks." She said not sure how to take his gruffness and at the same time not being able to ignore the warmth that grew once again in her belly.

 _Wow. Get a hold of yourself Kate._ She thought as she turned to follow Kozik down the hallway. She glanced down at the ring she was sure neither of them had noticed on her finger. Barry had put it back there as he saw her off at the airport promising her that her stay in the states would be brief and she'd be back home by Christmas. _No point getting all hot and flustered over these men. You'll be home before you know it Katie._

She felt slightly guilty at hoping perhaps something may happen with either one of the two men she'd met so far.

* * *

 **A/N: Two updates in one day! This one wrote itself fairly quickly and I was excited to get it out to you all now that the setting is a little more familiar. Don't get used to the fast updates though as they're not likely to continue and also I promise I'll get back to my other stories soon too. Kate has been taking over my creative mojo lately!**

 **Also just thought I'd add that when I mentionthat it was 35 degrees when Kate left home that is in Celcius which is about 95 in fahrenheit.**


	4. Chapter 4

4/

"So did you find out what kind of trouble she's in?" Kozik asked as they sat around the table the next day.

"Yeah." Lee answered. "Like I said a death threat was issued against her family by a rival club. The reason for it was because their VP, her brother was fucking the old lady of its President."

"Holy crap. Does she know that?" Kozik asked.

"Nah I don't think so. But that's not all. He was also supplying her and she overdosed."

"And died?" Donut asked already reading between the lines.

"Yeah."

"Shit. No wonder they were pissed."

"But pissed enough to kill family?"

"An eye for an eye I guess."

"Are they likely to seek her out here?"

"I don't see it being something that the Bandidos charters here would get themselves involved in. They wanted her away from the danger she faces on her own shores."

Happy remained quiet through the whole exchange. He'd spent the night not being able to wipe the girl from his mind. He kept hearing her voice in his ear and imagining his hands running across her creamy white skin.

"Well she'll be safe here then." Kozik said.

"Where's she at right now anyway?" Lee asked.

"Shopping with my old lady." Lorca answered. "She didn't come with much in the way of clothes."

"Nothing season appropriate anyway." Happy said speaking for the first time since entering the chapel.

"You've been quiet Hap." Lee said. "You're not hung up on 'er are ya?"

"Nah. Not at all." He said, he knew not too convincingly.

"Good cause in case you hadn't noticed, she's spoken for."

"Damn." Kozik muttered. "Still I'm sure she could be convinced."

"I wouldn't count on it. Her old man is their Sergeant at Arms. Apparently she's been with him for close to a decade."

"Jesus. She can't be more than 25." Happy said, knowing that meant she'd been with him since she was a teenager. He doubted their Sergeant at Arms was young and something about that made his skin crawl, but turned him on all the same.

"She's 24. Same age as Jackson Teller." Lee said.

"We should be glad they didn't send her to the mother charter then. Jax would be all over her without anyone getting a chance!" Kozik said with a grin.

"Ain't that the truth!" Lee agreed. "Anyway there's a few things that need sorting out this afternoon. Lorca, Donut, Bowie. You're all with me. Koz and Hap I want you both here when she gets back from her shopping expedition."

Kozik grinned his acceptance and Happy scowled, giving his usual solitary nod.

* * *

"Definitely that top sweetie." Grace Lorca declared as Kate stepped out of the change rooms yet again.

"You think?" Kate said turning to look at the way it hugged her figure in the mirror. "You don't think it's too slutty?"

"I think it's gorgeous on you and accentuates your natural curves." The older woman responded to her concern.

"I'm really not looking to get noticed by any of the guys though. I'm getting married when I get back home."

"I know that sweetie but I also know what you were wearing when you first arrived. Those shorts couldn't have been any shorter and your top couldn't have plunged any lower if you tried. Wear what you're comfortable in sweetie. Just because your engaged back home doesn't mean you need to dress like a nun while you're here."

Kate smiled, knowing the older woman's words were right. "Okay. So which color then? Or both?"

"I'd get both if it were me." Grace said with a smile.

Kate giggled before heading back into the change room to change back into her own clothes. She came back out a short time later with a bundle of clothes still on hangers in her arms. "So are you sure it's okay that I get all of these?" She asked.

"Absolutely. Are those skinny jeans you first tried on there?" Grace asked.

"Um… I think so," Kate said flicking through what she held in her arms. "Yep here they are."

"Excellent. They'd look great with a nice pair of heels."

"Grace, I said I'm not looking to impress anyone."

"And I said dress for you, not them. How long have you been with your fiancé anyway?"

"Just over eight years."

"Wow that's a long time. You must have been young when you got together." Grace remarked as she took some of those clothes from Kate's arms and headed to the register.

"I was 16." Kate answered her.

"And he was?"

"28."

"Wow that's a big age difference." She remarked. "But not at all uncommon." She added when she saw the apprehension on the young girl's face. "How long have you been engaged?"

"This time? A few days." Kate laughed. "For about the last four years we've been very on again off again." She went on to explain. "Officially we've been engaged for two years."

"And no wedding date in sight?"

"No not yet." Kate said.

"Don't worry sweetie that's the way these men work. They'll give you that ring to make you hang around but won't make it official until they absolutely have to. Lorca only finally married me when he was arrested a few years back so I wouldn't have to testify against him."

"Romance at its best hey?"

"Certainly is!" She laughed handing her credit card over to the cashier.

"Holy Moly!" Kate exclaimed when she saw how much the total had come to. "Are you sure you won't let me pay for it?"

"Don't be silly Kate. It's my pleasure. It's not often I have someone to go shopping with around here." She said smiling and then thanking the cashier as they picked up the bags. "Besides don't forget that at least half of that was mine."

Kate smiled, knowing that maybe only a quarter of the purchases were the older woman's.

"C'mon let's go grab some lunch before we head back to the clubhouse." Grace said heading for the door.

* * *

Happy scowled from where he sat smoking a cigarette as he watched Kate and Lorca's old lady empty her trunk of all their purchases. Bloody chicks and spending money on clothes. He'd bet Lorca would be spewing over the credit card bill later in the month which was something that Grace never seemed to care about. She seemed to think money grew on trees the way she splashed it about any chance she could. It was one of the many reasons he was glad he'd never taken an old lady for himself. Being given the go ahead to take Kate shopping had been like heaven for the woman. Jesus how many bags did they have? He'd counted at least six that Kate held as she walked across the lot and Grace was still fossicking around in the trunk.

"A little help Hap?" She called across the lot to him.

He scowled, stubbing out his cigarette before he stalked over to the woman and her car. "Jesus Grace. Did you buy the entire shop?" He asked as she loaded him up with more bags and two shoeboxes.

"Don't be silly!" She laughed. "Can you take those to Kate? The rest of these are mine."

He nodded and headed toward the clubhouse hoping that she hadn't already headed to her dorm. Being that the clubroom was empty he guessed she had. He stalked toward the door of the room he knew Kozik had had cleared for her, next to his own of course, he noticed with a scowl. He loved Kozik like a brother but he had no tact when it came to his approach with women.

He rapped loudly against her door with his fist.

"Come in." She called sweetly, her voice alone making his dick twitch. Jesus. What was he thinking? He had no intention of getting involved with her. He opened the door to find her parading in front of the mirror in tiny tight figure hugging jeans and a top that accentuated every curve of her hips and breasts.

"Oh wicked. You've got the boots Grace insisted on." She said turning toward him and taking one of the bags from him as he dumped the rest of them on her bed. He watched as she pulled a pair of black leather knee high boots from the bag and pulled them on, zipping up the sides and standing to show them off.

"What do you think?" She asked, giving him a little turn like she was on a catwalk.

What did he think? He thought he wanted to watch her give him a strip tease right now and then sink to her knees and suck his cock. He shook his head of the thought before answering her.

"Looks warmer than what you arrived in." He said shortly, already heading out the door.

Warmer than what she came in? Seriously that man might be deliciously good looking but he lacked the conversation skills needed to be considered normal.

She pulled a fitted leather jacket from another bag and slipping it on left her room in search of Kozik to ask his opinion of her new clothes. Lord knows she wasn't going to get anything positive from Happy.

The sharp clack of her boots drew Happy's attention as she entered and she couldn't help but notice him look her up and down before she turned her attention to Kozik as he entered from outside.

"Hey Koz." She greeted him. "What do you think?" She said doing her little turn again.

Kozik whistled. "I think you look pretty damn sexy darlin'." He said.

Kate smiled and giggled, casting a glance back toward Happy who sat with that perpetual scowl on his face. He was beginning to dislike the ease with which she'd struck up a friendship with Kozik. Her family had been killed for fuck sake. She was supposed to be broken and here she was parading around in new clothes showing off her perfect little body.

He gazed at her tight perky little ass and once again found himself imagining her stripping for him. That blonde hair bouncing around her face, those ocean blue eyes gazing upon him in mock innocence. "What's the matter Happy?" She asked. "You almost look like you agree with Kozik."

He scowled as she stood grabbing the nearest sweet butt to him, who just happened to be blonde and dragged her down the hallway to his dorm.

"What's with him?" She asked turning her attention to Kozik.

"Never mind him. Conversation isn't his strong point." Kozik answered her putting his arm about her shoulders.

"Yeah. I noticed that." She laughed as he led her over to the pool table in the center of the room.

"You know your accent is divine right? I could listen you talk all day." He said as he handed her a pool cue and began to rack up the balls.

She laughed as he moved aside to let her take the first shot.

They were nearing the end of their game when the sweet butt Happy had dragged away returned with a hugely satisfied grin on her face. She flicked her gaze to Kate in a gloating way as she headed out the door.

"What the hell is she looking at me like that for?" Kate asked.

"She's assuming you got a thing for Hap that he's not reciprocating." Kozik answered her.

She raised her eyebrows. "Has no one around here noticed the ring on my finger?"

"Yeah we've noticed it sweetheart. Chances are she hasn't though. She just sees you as competition no matter what your relationship status may be."

"Competition?" Kate scoffed. "It's not like I've made a move on anyone here." She continued.

"I kinda wish you would." He flirted as they both heard the phone behind the bar ring.

Before Kozik could even think of crossing the clubhouse to answer it Happy, whom neither of them had heard enter the room, had picked it up.

"Yeah?" he growled gruffly down the line.

He looked up. "Blondie it's for you. Think it's lover boy." He said placing the receiver down on the bar and heading over to the pool table and taking her cue from her.

"Can't even use my name now?" She asked giving him a smirk beginning to see what was beneath his apparent disdain for her.

She felt his eyes on her as she crossed the room to the phone and saw him flick his eyes away as she glanced back. She smirked actually feeling a little flattered that he couldn't keep his eyes off her, before picking up the phone and sinking down to the floor behind the bar for some semblance of privacy.

"Hello?" She said down the line.

"Hey cherub." She heard Barry answer. She sank back against the bar feeling like a teenager again, remembering the way she used to sink to the floor leaning against the kitchen cabinets, hoping that her parent's couldn't hear her conversations.

"Hey babe." She answered him in a lowered voice.

"How are they treating you over there?" He asked.

"Good Barry. How are things at home?"

"Not great babe. I'd prefer to talk about you. What you been up to?"

"Just hanging about really. Went shopping with the VP's old lady today."

"Oh yeah? Buy anything?"

"Mostly clothes and shoes."

"Geez Katie. You know you're not on a holiday right?"

"I needed clothes Barry. I only had summer stuff and it's cold here."

"Why the hell didn't you take more clothes then?"

"Jesus Barry. What is this? The inquisition? Most of my clothes were at my apartment and no one would let me go home to get them remember?" She answered snidely not being able to help the rise of her voice.

"Yeah I guess you're right." He replied.

"You know I'm right." She snapped.

"So how much did it cost me?"

"It didn't cost you anything Barry. I make my own money remember?"

"And you know I don't like that."

"I never asked if you liked it. And besides we'd been split for six months before last week."

"Katie I don't wanna fight okay babe?"

"Then don't pick a fight Barry." She said sounding defeated.

"I'm sorry babe. Things are just a mess here."

"Is everyone still whole?"

"Yeah babe. No one's been hurt."

"Well keep it that way okay?"

"We will. I just wanted to know you were alright over there."

"I'm fine Barry. Everyone's been really nice. But how much longer do I need to be here?"

"I don't know babe."

"You said I'd be home by Christmas."

"Yeah maybe. Look I gotta go. I love you babe."

"Yeah. Me too." She answered not wanting to say the full words back. Whether it be through frustration of not knowing when she would be home or the reminder their fight gave her of one of many reasons she constantly broke things off with him or the growing attraction she was beginning to have for both the men she shared the clubroom with at this moment, she wasn't sure.

"I'll call again in a few days babe." Barry said on the other end of the line oblivious to the conflicted feelings welling up inside Kate.

"Yeah, okay. Bye." She said with a sigh as he ended the call without saying goodbye back.

She took a deep breath before she rose to hang up the phone, knowing that Happy and Kozik had no doubt heard most of her conversation.

They were both polite enough to pretend they hadn't been listening in, but she could tell they had been. It became obvious to them both in that moment that she was struggling with being there and the strong princess façade was hiding a world of emotion she had no desire for anyone to see.

She excused herself from their presence and made her way to her room they both had no doubt about to crumble.


	5. Chapter 5

5/

 ** _December 22nd 2006_**

Time wore on with no indication of when Kate would be able to go home. Three days out from Christmas she doubted that she would be on a flight home anytime soon. It seemed there was one thing after another on home shores and her father didn't want her involved. _You're safer there Katie. Please just a little bit longer,_ was all she ever heard.

After whining to Kozik about her lack of privacy whenever she was forced to talk on the club phone, Lee had given her a burner to use instead. Barry had called less than a handful of times which really didn't surprise her. She had no doubt that through all the apparent chaos at home he was still managing to keep his dick wet in whichever whore would have him. It was always the way whenever she was away for longer than a few days and it was something that she'd always failed to learn. Once a cheater, always a cheater. He wasn't going to change. It was never going to be different or better no matter how much he promised her it would. Being away from him this time on the other side of the world gave her new perspective and watching the way Kozik and Happy interacted with each other where she was involved made her see things in a different light. Each from early on had been protective of her without stifling her or controlling her. For Barry she had come to realize, it had always been about the control he had over her, that as she became older he had slowly begun to lose.

She knew that her relationship with him was toxic and that the only reason she had remained with him for so long was because of the initial controlling facet of the relationship that had resulted from her being so young when they first got together.

She sat on the couch nearest the pool table only half watching the game that Kozik and Donut were playing. She toyed with the ring on her finger, sliding it to her knuckle and then back again, twisting and turning it and then sliding it down to her nail and almost off. She knew that if she took it off this time, it wasn't ever going back on.

She sighed as she glanced across to Happy who sat on the other side of the pool table drinking a beer, waiting to see who he was going to be playing against as the game unfolded in front of him. While she had continued to warm to Kozik, Happy had remained aloof and often gruff towards her but it was the little things that told her he cared. He would always insist she ride with him whenever she went somewhere with them and rarely would he let her out of his sight. Even now she could tell his gaze often fell subconsciously to her. She knew they'd all noticed her change in mood and even demeanor in the week. The closer it crept to Christmas and the more the realization that she wouldn't be spending it at home sank in, the quieter and less interactive she had become.

This afternoon though, she was quieter; more pensive, like something else was weighing on her mind. Kate herself couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something wasn't right back home.

She slid her ring back up her finger as the phone Lee had given her rang beside her. She sighed as she picked it up and saw her father's number. She knew he would be telling her that she wouldn't be home for Christmas. Even though she had succumbed to the fact she wouldn't be she had still yet to hear the words actually spoken out loud. And then there was that something else that had been niggling away at her all morning.

"Hey Daddy." She answered, noticing Happy look up and across to her.

"Yeah, I figured as much seeing as it's only three days away."

"What? What do you mean it's all gone really wrong?" She asked, trepidation in her voice, as she heard the heartbreak in her father's. She felt Happy's eyes on her and Kozik and Donut paused in their game.

"He's what? No way Daddy. No, he can't be." She felt tears instantly sting the back of her eyes and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying desperately to blink them away.

"I'm sorry Katie baby. I'm so sorry. It all went so horribly wrong." She heard her father as if through a tunnel as his words echoed through her head.

"And what about everyone else?" She found herself asking not really caring what the answer was. Her head was swimming, her mind trying desperately to grapple with what she had been told, trying not to feel, trying to keep it from creeping to her heart.

She lost her battle against her tears as her father's voice continued in her ear barely registering what he was telling her about the other club members and their whereabouts.

She couldn't speak, couldn't even begin to choke out any words to him.

"Please tell me you're not alone right now baby." Her father said down the line from the other side of the world.

"No Daddy. No I'm not." She managed to choke out as she looked to Kozik who had put down his pool cue and sunk to his knees in front of her. Happy had risen from where he'd been sitting and stood behind Kozik, a look that could only be taken as concern on his face.

"It's okay Daddy. I can tell them."

"Okay I will. I love you Daddy." She sobbed and then moments later let the phone fall from her hand. It bounced off her knees and landed on the floor beside Happy's feet.

Her tears fell so hard now that the men around her knew they wouldn't get a coherent answer from her just yet. Kozik rose and placed his arms around her as he sat at her side. He pulled her to him as she sank gratefully into his arms, her tears making the front of his shirt wet.

"Donut, call Lee. Whatever she was just told, it's big." Happy ordered as the other man nodded pulling his cell from his pocket.

Happy stood back, leaning against the pool table, arms crossed over his chest not really knowing what to do with himself. They'd all seen the pain hiding behind her eyes at what she'd been through before she got there but she'd never broken down in front of them. They all knew she preferred to do her grieving in private so this side of her was new. He didn't want to step away. He wanted her to know that he cared and that he was there for her no matter what she needed.

Her body began to shudder against Kozik's chest, her breaths becoming shaky as her tears began to subside.

"What happened Kate?" Happy asked, his voice gruff yet laced with concern, as she sat back, drawing away from Kozik a little.

The look in her eyes when she met his gaze was one of utter despair and heartbreak, like a piece of her had broken off inside.

She struggled to find the words as her heart caught up to her head. Taking a deep breath and pushing back the tears that once again welled in her eyes, she mustered everything she had to let the words fall from her mouth; words her ears didn't want to hear. "He's dead." She said quietly, her voice catching in her throat.

"Who is Katie?" Kozik asked gently from beside her as his shoulders dropped with despair for her.

"Jason, my … my brother." She choked out.

"It's okay Katie." He said pulling her to him again when he saw how desperately she was trying to control her emotions. "Let it all out. It's okay to cry."

She sobbed against his chest and didn't flinch when she felt Happy's hand rest upon her shoulder as he sat on the arm of the couch behind her.

By the time Lee arrived back at the clubhouse, with Lorca and Bowie in tow, she felt she was all out of tears and lay emotionally exhausted and numb in Kozik's arms.

"What's going on?" Lee asked seeing her tear streaked in the arms of his SAA, Happy hanging protectively nearby.

"Her brother's dead." Happy filled him in.

"Shit. How?" Lee asked looking to the two men for answers.

"Don't know yet." Happy said.

Lee looked to Katie who sat and placed her head in her hands before lifting it and meeting his gaze.

"What happened Kate?" Lee asked her gently.

"They went to the Bandidos clubhouse to try to smooth things over. It resulted in a shootout and Jason was hit in the head and killed instantly." She said, her voice monotone and numb. "Someone called the cops. My dad and Wombat managed to get away but Barry was arrested." She continued.

"And Barry is your fiancé?" Lee asked.

Kate nodded. "My dad said he'd call you in a day or so with more details. He said he needed time to process it all."

Lee nodded. "Thanks Kate. Is there anything we can do right now?"

Kate shook her head. "No." She said quietly as Kozik reached for her hand.

"Alright, we need to discuss this." Lee said motioning toward their chapel. "Hap? You wanna join us?" He asked when he failed to follow.

"Yeah." Happy answered gruffly, leaving Kozik to care for the broken girl.

Kate leant into Kozik's chest again, her breath catching in her throat again, tears gone but despair not. She took comfort in his hand stroking through her hair as she tried desperately to grapple with the heartbreak that swam through her. She'd barely come to terms with the loss of her mother and younger sister but now it was all fresh again along with the utter heartache of losing her twin brother.

Kozik continued softly running his hand through the honey blonde strands of her hair until she fell into an emotionally exhausted sleep against him.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews on this story so far. They mean so much to me especially since it starts so differently. There is definitely much more of this story to come and I can't wait to share it with you all. Please let me know what you think of this chapter and your thought in general. I love reading them! Thanks!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: So being that Thursday is my usual writing day here is another update. Hope you enjoy!**

6/

Kate stirred and stretched her arms above her head, not wanting yet to open her eyes. She wished that she could wake up and be back in her bed in her South Melbourne apartment and that the last month had been a dream; one continuous long horrible nightmare.

When she finally opened her eyes and saw the yellowing ceiling of the dorm room she'd been staying in for the past two weeks, she bit her lips and sighed. She closed her eyes and rolled to her side, stretching her arm out next to her. She opened her eyes with a start and screamed, shocked to find human flesh beneath her fingers.

"Relax Katie," came Kozik's voice. "You wanted me here."

"I did?" She asked coming face to face with him where he lay beside her with his shirt off but his pants still on.

"Yeah. You said you didn't want to be alone last night when I brought you in here. You asked me to stay." He explained raising himself up to lean on his elbow.

She cast her mind back to the previous day and remembered nothing after the phone call she'd received from her father. She figured his words were probably true.

"We didn't do anything did we?" She asked hesitantly her eyes running across his naked chest, the S.O.A. tattooed across it.

He gave her a smirk. "Nah. We didn't. Sure was tempting though."

"Well thank you for not taking advantage of me." She said a little huffily.

"Relax Katie. You know I never would."

"Do I? I've only known you for two weeks Kozik. How would I know that?"

"Katie relax honey. Both Hap and I would never do anything to hurt you okay?" he said calmly.

She took a deep breath. "Yeah I know. It's just with everything that's happened and all I guess …."

"It's okay I get it." He said glancing at the watch on his wrist.

"Do you have somewhere you need to be?" She asked.

"Yeah. Lee called a chapel meeting for this morning. It's in half an hour."

"It's about me I guess?" She asked as he rose from the bed and grabbed his shirt where he'd laid it the previous night.

"Yeah kinda. Are you gonna be okay here … I mean by yourself?" He asked genuine concern evident in his voice.

"Yeah. I'll be fine. I might take a shower before I make my way out there."

"Sure. You know where I'll be if you need anything okay?"

"Thanks Koz." She said with a small smile as he shrugged his kutte on before leaving the room.

* * *

"So I spoke with Lenny Grazer this morning and he's filled me in on what happened. They've stuffed up big time and I think we'll need to let Charming decide what happens to the charter." Lee said after he'd opened proceedings.

"You think they'll vote to shut them down?" Donut asked.

"I'm not sure but something needs to be done. They're VP is dead. Their sergeant at arms is incarcerated and the rest of the charter is wanted for questioning and avoiding police."

"So what does that mean for Kate?" Kozik asked.

"She's here indefinitely." Lee answered.

"How's she doing this morning Koz?" Happy asked of perhaps his closest brother.

"She's doing alright. Think she's kinda numb to it all at the moment."

Happy nodded slowly.

"I think given what's happened so close to Christmas she needs a sense of family." Lee said, thinking out loud. "Hap you got any plans?"

"For Christmas? Nah not really. I was gonna head down and see Ma the day after."

"Koz?" Lee asked.

"Nah. My brother and his wife are going east to spend it with her family."

Lee nodded. "You think the two of you could take her to Charming for Christmas?"

"You think she's up for that?" Happy asked.

"Like I said I think the family atmosphere would do her good and let's face it it'll be a big and noisy distraction."

Kozik nodded and met eyes with Happy across the table, an unspoken question between them.

"Yeah. We can do that." Happy said.

"Great." Lee said in acknowledgement. "Well I gotta get on the phone to Charming and let them know what's gone down. I'll let them know to expect you."

Both Kozik and Happy nodded.

"Chapel over." Lee said pulling his phone from his pocket as he watched his men file out of the room.

* * *

"Hey Katie." Kozik greeted her where she sat on the sofa with her legs crossed in front of her. "Pack some things darlin'. You're coming away with me and Hap for a few days."

"Oh?" She said questioningly. "Where to?"

"Charming. They do this big Christmas thing where everyone is welcome." Kozik explained.

"I'm not sure I'm really in a celebrating mood." She responded, not moving from her spot on the couch.

"So what were you planning on doing? Moping around an empty clubhouse? Cos by the end of today this place is gonna be locked up and empty as we all go off and do our own thing for a few days."

"Okay. Well I guess I don't have much of a choice then do I?" She said forlornly, he could tell not trying to be rude.

"C'mon darlin'. We'll make it fun." Kozik said.

She gave a small smile as she looked across to Happy, with his ever present scowl on his face. "Yeah I'll bet." She said. "When do we leave?"

"A couple of hours okay?"

"Yeah. No worries." She said with a sigh as she rose from the sofa. "Lighten up Hap. You're supposed to make the next few days fun." She said with a smirk.

She caught the slightest raise of a smile to the corner of his mouth at her words and a tiny sparkle in his dark eyes.

* * *

Kate stretched her arms over her head, feeling her back and shoulders crack before getting off from behind Happy. "So where the hell are we?" She asked, unbuckling her helmet as Kozik pulled in beside them.

"Medford." Happy answered taking the helmet from her and hanging it on the handlebars alongside his own.

She nodded looking around her still having no clue where that was.

"C'mon, let's go get a room before we find something to eat." Kozik said placing his arm around her shoulders and leading her toward the office of the hotel they'd pulled up in front of.

"Just one room?" She asked.

"Yeah. You're not leaving our sight little girl." Happy said gruffly behind her.

She turned with a scowl on her face. "What'd I say about calling me that?"

"Don't believe I said I'd stop." He countered her a slight smirk on his face.

She scowled back at him before joining Kozik who was speaking to the woman behind the desk.

He took the key she passed to him with a smile before turning back toward Kate and Happy. Kate caught the curious stare the woman had on her face as her gaze followed the three of them from the office.

"She's thinks there's something kinky going on between us all you know." Kate said as Happy and Kozik leant over the bikes removing what they needed from their saddle bags.

Kozik gave her a smirk. "Who's to say she's not right?" he asked.

"Maybe between the two of you." She quipped back as Happy threw her bag at her.

"You're not going home anytime soon little girl, so sooner or later you're gonna have certain needs that you'll want satisfied."

She raised her eyebrows at him. "You're quite the charmer aren't you Hap?" She smirked.

He didn't answer her, just flicked the toothpick he'd just placed in his mouth to the side with a smirk.

She felt the heat rising in her belly, as it always did whenever he did that. He caught the way she pressed her lips together in a lusty way at his actions. He knew his subtle advances on her had more effect over her than the more direct approach Kozik was taking.

He watched her tight perky little ass disappear through the door that Kozik had just opened.

"So this is my bed." She said dropping her bag on the bed nearest the window.

"Which one of us are you sharing with?" Kozik asked.

"What?" She said with a laugh. "Nah. I said this is my bed. You two are sharing that one." She said pointing to the other bed and laughing at the look the two men exchanged.

"Okay." Happy agreed. "We'll do it your way."

"So what are we eating?" She asked. "I'm starving."

"We'll order in some pizzas. Koz you wanna go grab some beers?" Happy said.

"Sure bro. You want something else Kate?" He asked knowing he hadn't seen her drink a beer in the entire time she'd been there.

"Nah. Beer is fine thanks Koz." She said as he turned for the door. "I'm gonna go take a shower." She said making her way to the bathroom, swaggering her hips and wiggling her ass way more than she needed to as she walked.

Happy watched her close the door behind her and felt his dick twitch as he wished that he could join her.

* * *

Kate laughed as later on that night she watched Kozik pull his t-shirt over his head revealing his naked chest beneath.

"Now I know why you agreed so easily to play strip poker." He commented as he threw his shirt aside.

She smirked as she dealt out the cards for another round.

"You gotta lose a round at some point little lady." Happy said from where he sat opposite her on the bed he and Kozik were to share, having already lost his kutte to the game.

"So I've graduated from a girl to a lady have I?" She asked picking up her cards and taking a swig of her beer.

"We'll see about that when you get those clothes off." He smirked back.

"Not gonna happen." She said glancing down at her cards, a blank look upon her face.

Kozik looked across at her trying to read her expression. "Damn it Kate. You have a wicked poker face."

She smirked. "So what's it gonna be Koz? You're down to your pants if you lose this round."

He looked down at his cards then back up at her face. "I fold." He said placing his cards face down on the bed in front of him.

"Naww. No fun Koz." She said pouting her lips at him.

"Says she who still has all her clothes on." He commented back.

She giggled. "You and me Hap. What ya got for me?" She said turning her attention to Happy.

"Beat that." He said placing his cards down between them.

"Hmm." She said considering them before she placed down her own. "Sorry Hap but two kings beats two queens. Take it off." She said motioning to his shirt.

He shook his head and smirked before he slowly teasingly peeled his shirt over his head. Both men heard her breath catch in her throat as she gazed upon Happy's naked and heavily tattooed chest.

"You like what you see little lady?" he asked with a smirk.

"You certainly have an impressive collection of tattoos." She answered refusing give him the satisfaction of letting him know she had been admiring the chiseled and defined muscles of his chest.

He raised one eyebrow at her in response.

"So since you've won every hand Miss Dealer, how about you let me take over dealing?" Kozik asked.

"Are you suggesting that I'm cheating?" She asked with mock innocence.

"No not at all!" He smirked, both men knowing she had been.

She took a long drink from her beer before accepting her cards from Kozik and glancing down at them.

"Hmm. Not bad." She commented as she looked at them. "Of course I managed to deal myself better hands."

"Well let's see 'em then." Kozik said placing his cards down in front of her.

"Still not gonna beat me Koz." She said placing them down.

"Shit Katie!" Kozik swore.

"It's the pants this time Koz." She smiled.

"You're loving this aren't ya?" Happy asked.

"Aha." She said deliberately eyeing Kozik up and down.

"Alright. Koz give me the cards." Happy ordered in a no nonsense voice.

Kozik handed over the cards and watched as Happy shuffled them before dealing out the next hand.

"No folding this round Kate even if it's a shit hand." Happy said, with a smirk.

She glanced down at her cards and knew that somehow he'd managed to deal her the crappiest hand possible.

"Challenge accepted." She said with a smirk as she placed her hand down in front of her.

"Ha!" Kozik guffawed. "Not hard to beat that." He placed down his cards as did Happy, both easily beating her hand.

"Take it off Katie." Happy said raising one eyebrow with a clear smirk on his face.

She gave them both a cheeky, lusty smile before she pulled her top over her head revealing her red lacy bra beneath it.

Kozik smirked and gave a nod of approval as he gazed upon the roundness of her breasts. Happy on the other hand was more subtle, with only his eyes giving him away as she met his gaze.

She picked up her beer bottle and drained one last swig from it before rising from the bed.

"Well thank you gentlemen for such an entertaining evening but I think I'm gonna call it a night now." She said coyly as she threw her beer bottle into the trash, grabbed her bag from where it lay on her bed and headed toward the bathroom with an intentional swagger.

"Such a fucking tease." Kozik commented as she neared the door.

She turned and threw them both a wink before disappearing behind the closed door.

"You think she had that in mind the entire time?" Kozik asked as they both heard the shower go on.

"You can bet she did." Happy said rising from the bed and throwing his own empty bottle into the trash.

"She's even more smoking hot beneath those clothes than I could have imagined." Kozik commented.

Happy gave a nod as he leant back against the sideboard at the side of the room. "Yeah, she is hot." He said clearly distracted.

"What are you thinkin' Hap?" Kozik asked, having known Happy long enough to know that the man rarely shared his feelings.

"She was just the happiest I've seen her since she got here Koz, but she's gotta be hurting." Happy said, letting the other man in on his thoughts.

"Yeah. She is." Kozik agreed. "Understandably so."

"Despite what Lee thinks Charming is gonna be hard for her." Happy continued.

"We'll get 'er through it Hap." Kozik said picking up his shirt from where he'd tossed it before.

"Yeah." he said glancing up as the bathroom door opened. "You okay Kate?" He asked noting the redness of her cheeks knowing it wasn't from the heat of the shower.

"Yeah. I'm fine Hap." She said with a small smile. He saw the sadness in her eyes as she made her way to her bed.

"We're both here if you wanna talk okay?" Kozik said.

"I know. Thanks." She said pulling the covers on the bed back before crawling under them. "I had fun tonight." She said.

"Glad you did little lady." Happy said with a near smile as he made his way to the bathroom.

"Goodnight." She smiled, ignoring his persistence in calling her that.

"Night Kate." He said before closing the door behind him. He was beginning to not like the idea of leaving her alone with Kozik, especially after the night's activities but he knew she had no intention of letting anything happen.

She was smart. He could tell she was attracted to both of them and had been getting very hot under the collar during their game but not once had she lost control and he knew that at no point had she ever intended for anything other than a game of strip poker to take place. He admired her for that; respected her even. He knew she'd been struggling through her own personal hell in the last few weeks and especially the last 48 hours and he'd been glad to see a genuine smile upon her face and he'd been massively turned on at that lustful sparkle in her eye as she peeled her top over her head.

He doubted that her relationship with her fiancé was going to last much longer with him in jail and her in another country and he'd be damned if it wasn't him he was going to help her get over it.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks so much for reviews and support on this story. I've got a system glitch happening right now that means I can't view them on this site but I am still receiving all your lovely reviews via email. There have been a few great suggestions and insights that some of you put forth which I loved reading but unfortunately due to the nature of my junk mail they have all self deleted so hopefully the site glitch is soon fixed so I can read over them again!**

 **Please let me know what you think of this fun little chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7

7/

Kate woke early, the sun creeping around the edge of the curtains. She stretched her arms over her head and thought back on the previous night. She knew she'd made it perfectly clear that she was attracted to both of them and she'd had every intention of doing so. She smiled glad that she'd seen a more fun and relaxed side of them both.

She rolled to her side and stifled a laugh as her eyes fell upon the two men in the bed she'd forced them to share. Happy lay sprawled on his back one arm thrown over his head, while Kozik lay beside him on his side, his arm thrown over Happy's chest, their legs twisted together.

Kate raised herself to her elbow to gaze upon them waiting to see how they'd react when they woke entwined together. She didn't have to wait long before Happy's eyes flicked open and caught Kate's amused stare. She stifled a giggle as he wriggled his way out from under Kozik's arm and leg.

"I guess he likes to cuddle?" She couldn't help herself.

He scowled at her but couldn't help the slight smirk that crept to the corner of his mouth. "Not a word to anyone." He said heading to the bathroom.

She smiled back at him as he closed the door behind him. The smile was still on her face as Kozik stirred in the bed beside her. "What are you grinning at?" he asked sleepily.

"Nothing Koz. Nothing at all." She smirked as she got up grabbing her brush from her bag and beginning to run it through her hair.

"Seriously Kate. What's so funny?" he asked sitting up and leaning back against the headboard.

"Let's just say you and Happy were in a rather compromising position before you both woke up." She answered him as she tugged her brush through her long honey blonde hair.

"Hey! I said not a word." Happy scowled as he reemerged from the bathroom.

"It's okay Hap. I won't tell anyone else about your little bromance." She smirked at him as she headed to the bathroom to shower and dress.

By the time she emerged, her damp hair pulled into a long braid down her back, Kozik had been out and returned with breakfast and coffee.

They ate in silence before clearing up ready to leave.

Happy returned from the office after returning the key to find Kate giggling as she climbed onto Kozik's bike behind him.

"You ditching me Little Lady?" he asked.

"You jealous?" She asked flirtatiously rather than giving him an answer.

He raised one eyebrow at her. "I ride faster." Was all he said placing his sunglasses on before mounting his bike and passing her the spare helmet from his handle bars.

Happy didn't wait for her to put her helmet on before he brought his ride to life and peeled away and onto the road.

"You ready?" Kozik asked as he started his own bike beneath them.

She gave him a nod as he looked back to her.

* * *

Kozik brought his bike to a stop beside Happy's at a park by the side of the road in Sacramento. She knew it was Sacramento because she remembered seeing a sign on the way into it.

"What are we doing?" She asked.

"Off little lady." Said Happy who already stood beside his bike. "We've got some things we need to talk to you about before we get to Charming."

"Okay." She said hesitantly.

"Their charter is bigger than ours, probably bigger than yours back home. It could be a little overwhelming at first, especially tomorrow when you involve old ladies and family as well." Happy explained.

"I'm sure I'll be fine." She said.

"Also they're very forward. They won't hesitate to let you know how hot they find you or even make a move on you." Kozik added. "I'd recommend sticking close to me and Hap. That'll make it pretty clear you're not a pass around or on the market."

"Who says I'm not on the market?" She asked.

"Be careful little lady. The way you flirt with us is one thing but you could get yourself into trouble real quick in Charming." Happy warned.

"And then there's Jax." Kozik continued. "He's the same age as you and has just recently been become VP. He already has a name as a bit of ladies man. He'll make a move on you for sure."

"I can take care of myself guys." She assured them.

"Just stay close okay?" Happy asked.

She nodded, actually kind of liking how protective they were both being. "Anything else I need to know?" She asked.

"You're aware of their club history with JT's death and Clay Morrow taking over a president?" Happy asked.

"Yeah and Gemma is now married to Clay?" She responded questioningly.

"Correct." Happy responded.

"So Christmas lunch tomorrow is at their house."

"Yeah." Kozik answered.

"And until then I assume we stay at the clubhouse where you guys hang out with your Charming brothers while I become a wallflower."

"You can talk to them just keep the flirting out of it." Kozik warned again.

"What and save it for you guys?" She said with a smirk as they returned to the bikes.

"Somethin' like that." Kozik said with a grin.

She saw Happy smirk as she grabbed her helmet from Kozik's handlebars. She moved around his bike and climbed on behind Happy this time.

Kozik raised his eyebrows at her but said nothing.

"You realize I was right little lady?" He asked over his shoulder as his engine began to purr beneath them.

"Something like that." She murmured ramping up her flirtation by letting her lips brush against his ear.

He knew she was having fun playing them both but hoped that it wasn't going to get her into trouble.

* * *

Kate was surprised to feel nerves well up within her as Happy rolled into the lot of the Charming clubhouse. They'd been right. The size of the clubhouse alone was bigger than she'd ever seen, at least from the outside and the number of guys that sat around outside it readying to greet the two Tacoma brothers was perhaps more than the Tacoma charter and her own back home put together.

Happy felt her arms tighten around his waist as he walked his bike back to the end of a long line as Kozik did the same beside them.

"Remember what we said okay?" he said brushing his hand briefly against hers as he took her helmet from her. "Their friendly but very forward. Just stay close if you're feeling unsure."

She nodded. "Thanks Hap." She said quietly as Kozik passed her bag to her.

She took a deep breath as the two men began to head across the lot and scuttled behind to catch up sticking close to Kozik's side once she did. He placed his arm around her shoulders, pulling her a little closer in reassurance.

"Happy! My man!" A man with scruffy brown hair and blue eyes greeted Happy in huge embrace. "Good to see you bro! And this is the pretty thing you've been hiding away up in Tacoma?" He said eyeing her up and down in a way that made Kate feel slightly dirty. "I heard you were good lookin' doll but you're a fuckin' bombshell."

"Wow. You're full of class." Kate said raising her eyebrows to which Kozik scoffed beside her and Happy glanced back with a smirk from where he was being greeted by the others.

"The name's Tig doll." He said brushing off her comment and offering her his hand. "And trust me when I say you can do a whole lot better than douchebag here." He continued with a wink.

"Good to see you too Tig." Kozik said dryly.

"You're lucky I'm not beating your blond ass moron." Tig said before turning his attention back to Kate. "So how 'bout it doll? You want me to show you a good time?"

"I'll pass thanks." She said with a sweet smile. "You don't seem my type."

"Oh feel that burn Tiggy!" A blond man behind him yelled out as the others around him laughed.

Tig raised his eyebrows, ignoring the laughter of his brothers, "There's still time to change your mind doll." He said with a wink as he moved away to some of the others.

The blond man stepped forward and embraced Kozik before greeting Kate.

"It's Kate right?" he asked politely offering his hand. She eyed the Vice President patch on his kutte, pushing back the lump in her throat as she thought of the last time she'd seen that patch.

"Yes." She said placing her hand in his. "You must be Jax."

"Sure am darlin'," he said flashing a heart melting smile. She could see immediately what Kozik and Happy had warned her about when it came to him. That smile alone could get a woman to drop her panties for him. "You wanna head inside? Maybe grab a drink?"

"Oh I um …" She hesitated watching Kozik where he'd joined Happy who was glaring at him for leaving her on her own.

"Relax darlin'. I'm not trying to get into your pants like Tig was." He said flashing that brilliant smile again. "Besides I remember meeting you when we were what like five?"

She smiled. "Yeah something like that. A drink would be good." She said accepting his offer.

"I have to say you've changed a little from the last time we met." He said as they walked side by side into the clubhouse.

She giggled feeling both Happy and Kozik's eyes on her as she passed them. "You have too."

Jax walked over to the fridge behind the bar and pulled two beers out as some of the other guys began to mill in behind them. Happy caught her eye as he came in behind a greying man, with scars snaking across each cheek. He pointed two fingers to his eyes and then turned them on her with a menacing glare as Jax passed a beer bottle to her and led her over to one of the tables.

Jax was young and still fairly fresh when it came to the club and he found Happy a little overbearing.

"I'm not stepping on his toes by talking to you am I?" Jax asked quietly as he took a seat opposite Kate.

"Nah. He's fine. He just takes his job of keeping an eye on me here very seriously." She answered, choosing not to divulge that she'd been warned about him.

"And what about Koz? He just protecting you too?" He asked she knew probing into just what her relationship with the two men was.

"Yeah. They've both been really friendly since I've been here and very supportive too." Kate answered taking a swig of her beer.

"That's good to hear." He said. "Look Kate before anything else I want to offer my condolences on your family." He continued.

"Thanks Jax." She said with a small smile. "I appreciate it."

"I know from experience that words are never enough. Are you doing okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah I'm getting through. It's still pretty fresh to be honest. I'm not sure it seems real yet especially my brother's death." She said eyeing his patches again.

He noticed where her eyes had fallen, "I'm sure he was a great person and VP."

"Yeah he was." She agreed. "It's harder not being there too."

Jax nodded. "I can only imagine how hard it must be being so far away. I know when my younger brother passed away I couldn't have got through it without my mom. She was my rock despite her own pain and then again when my dad died."

"Shit Jax. I'm sorry. I had no idea. I mean I knew about your dad but not your brother. How?"

"Heart defect. Mom calls it the family curse."

"Wow that must have been hard."

"Yeah it was. I'd like to be able to tell you it gets easier but in a lot of ways it doesn't. There's always a part of you that can never forget that hurt of losing them so suddenly especially without getting to say goodbye." He said reaching across for her hand when he saw tears in the corner of her eyes.

"Yeah. That's certainly the hardest part." She said quietly.

"You okay Katie?" Kozik asked as he came up beside her placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah Koz," she said smiling up at him, "Jax and I are just bonding over our dead family members."

He nodded, glancing at Jax in recognition of the fact he was probably the best to be able to impart emotional support to her. "I'll be outside if you're looking for me okay?"

"Sure Koz. Thanks." She said.

"And Hap's around here somewhere still."

She nodded as he let his hand run down her arm before he headed outside pulling a pack of cigarettes from his kutte as he did so.

"I can tell they really care about you." Jax commented watching Kozik walk away.

"They've both been a great support." She agreed

"That all it is?" He asked with a knowing smirk.

"So far." She answered returning his smirk.

He smirked back. "I'll bet they told you to be wary of me?"

"Yeah they did actually." She smiled. "But to be honest Jax I kind of prefer my men a little older than we are."

"Like Koz or Hap?" He smirked.

"Maybe." She laughed, he knew getting closer to the truth than she was prepared to admit just yet.

"Well we're a little short on beds being Christmas and all so you'll have to share a room with one of them."

"Oh?" She asked a blush rising to her cheeks.

"I'm joking babe. We'll make sure we figure something out so you don't have to."

"Oh right." She smiled.

"I'll stop taking up your time and let you meet some of the other guys now if you like."

"Sure. I think I might keep my distance from Tig though."

He chuckled. "Good idea." He said putting his arm around her shoulders and leading her outside.

"You good Katie?" Kozik asked as they neared him where he sat on one of the picnic tables.

"Yeah I am Koz." She answered as she took his cigarette from his fingers and took a drag before handing it back to him.

"Didn't know you smoked darlin'," He said accepting it back from her as she took a seat on next to him.

"I do on occasion but there's a lot you don't know about me yet."

"I like that yet. It means you intend for me to learn."

She giggled, "maybe."

He saw through the relaxed nature she had about her right now to the bundle of nerves and heartbreak she had going on beneath the surface. He gave her a smile as she reached once again for his cigarette. He pulled a new one from the pack in his kutte and lit it up letting her keep the other one. He watched as she inhaled deeply, taking a long draw on it and knew that probably sooner rather than later the walls she was putting up around herself were going to start crumbling down. He began to prepare himself for being the one to help her pick up the pieces.

* * *

Happy sat scowling in the Charming clubroom later that night, hating how easily Kate had drawn the attention of the others in the room. While she wasn't being as outrageously flirtatious as she had been toward Kozik and himself, she had such an easygoing nature that she garnered the attention as she leaned giggling over the pool table only to take a shot and miss. He'd watched her play in Tacoma and she was good, certainly better than she had been proving herself to be tonight. Whether it was the attention or the several beers he'd seen her sink back he wasn't sure, but her game tonight was certainly off.

He watched as she declared defeat in her game against the prospect, Juice he remembered them calling him, and sank down to the couch next to Kozik a little too close for Happy's liking. He knew she'd make no secret during their flirtatious game the night before that she was attracted to both of them but he assumed that at some point she'd gravitate toward one or the other of them. He wasn't sure though that he wanted it to be Kozik. He was beginning to resent the way she flitted between the two of them playing them and flirting with them as she pleased. He wished he could walk across the room now and drag her away and have his way with her but he knew that wouldn't work in his favor. She wasn't the type of girl who'd let you do that to her. It was on her terms as she'd made crystal clear the night before.

He barely noticed the croweater that plonked down beside him until she began to drape herself over him. He raised one eyebrow at her thinking how this could work in his favor. Kate had barely registered his existence all evening and he wondered if she would now as he allowed the not so attractive woman in his lap to kiss him. He kissed her plump lips back as he stole a glance over her shoulder to catch Kate throw him a mischievous wink before she rose from Kozik's side and disappeared from the room.

He wasted no time in throwing the croweater off him and following her down the dimly corridor of the Charming clubhouse. She turned noticing him behind her and flicked him that mischievous grin again.

"I didn't know if you'd follow. You looked busy." She said taking a step back toward him.

"I thought you made it pretty clear that I should." He answered closing the gap between them.

"Oh yeah? And how was that?" She asked looking up at him doe eyed where he stood before her.

"You know exactly what you're doing Katie." He said taking her and pinning her against the wall.

"I was just acknowledging your conquest and thought I'd leave you to it and head to my dorm for the night." She answered innocently not protesting his action.

He raised his eyebrow at her. "Your room's back that way."

"Oh silly me." She said looking up at him through her long lashes. "Guess I got lost."

"Not a good thing to do around here. You'll likely end up in one of their beds." He answered as she stared up at him with the same lustful spark he'd seen in her eyes the previous night.

"You and Koz warned me against that." She said quietly her voice almost a whisper.

"You'd best heed that advice then hey?"

"Are you gonna give me a reason to?" She asked, continuing to gaze lustfully into his eyes, daring him to kiss her.

He gave in to everything in his head telling why he shouldn't be doing this and lowered his lips to hers, pressing hard against them surprised at their softness as she kissed him back. He felt her hand rest upon his chest as she sucked in a breath, before drawing away from him. She gazed up at him, biting her lower lip as her eyes danced with desire. He knew she'd lost some of the composure and control she had over the situation.

She raised herself onto to her tiptoes to meet his lips again. He hoisted her up and pressed her against the wall, while his lips moved with hers. She drew away and met his eyes and he could tell she'd regained her composure. He knew that once again she had complete control over how far this was going to go.

He looked questioningly at her before pressing his lips against her neck and kissing a trail up to her ear, taking in her delicious scent; coconut and a hint of something citrusy. He listened to the soft, slow gasping of her breath in his ear and he knew he was making her as wet as she was making him hard.

She pulled away and fixed him with a resolute stare and kissed his lips softly once more before unhooking her legs from around his hips and sliding herself down the wall where she ducked under his arm to step away. She bit her lip before she spoke. "We should do this again sometime Hap." She said, beginning to back down the hallway to her room, knowing how turned on she'd made him.

"It's a dangerous game you're playing little girl." He said as she made her way toward her dorm away from him. She threw a smirk back over her shoulder at him as she disappeared into her dorm he knew locking the door behind her.

He wondered whether or not to follow and demand she let him in but he knew this little game of hers was on her terms and she'd turn him away. Instead he stalked to the clubroom and grabbed hold of the croweater who'd approached him before and dragged her into the bathroom, pushing her to her knees as he closed the door.

She looked up at him, shaken, for a few seconds before she began undoing his belt to pull his cock out. He moaned as he felt her lips close around his cock as she sank it deep into the back of her throat. Christ he had to give it the Samcro girls; they were good at what they were here for. But there was something lacking tonight as he looked down at the bitch sucking his cock. She wasn't blonde, and her eyes weren't blue and she wasn't looking up at him with that sweet little doe eyed expression. The fiery lust in the green eyes that looked up at him did nothing to tip him over the edge tonight. He found himself closing his eyes and imagining Katie's mouth wrapped around his cock, her pretty blue eyes staring innocently up at him. He swore he even caught a whiff of coconut in the air as, with a loud grunt, he blew his load down the back of the red head's eager throat.

She rose from her knees and dared to run her hand over his chest.

"Out!" He barked to which she scuttled from the room.

 _Damn it Katie!_ He thought to himself as he turned and stared into the mirror. He'd been determined not to get involved with her from the moment he knew of her existence, but hell if she wasn't so damned hot and sexy that he couldn't help the subtle flirting he'd been doing; and her doe eyed little games that she'd been playing with both him and Kozik. Hell it even kind of turned him on that she was so obviously flirting with both of them, but he couldn't deny how hard and horny she had made him in the hallway just then when finally, he'd had her alone. He knew she knew it too. Hell he didn't know how much longer he was going to be able to play by her rules.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews on the last chapter. I was a little overwhelmed at how many came in. I'm loving your insights on how this is going and your hopes as to which one of the guys she's going to end up with. I have a pretty fair idea of where this is headed but nothing is set in stone just yet ...**


	8. Chapter 8

8/

Happy entered the Charming clubroom the next morning to find Kate sitting at the bar next to Kozik, coffee in her hand and empty plates in front of the two of them. He felt a pang of jealousy as he saw her lean across and kiss Kozik's cheek.

"Merry Christmas Hap." She said as he came around the bar to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"Yeah. To you too." He said gruffly eyeing her suspiciously where she sat cozied up to Kozik. He knew she'd make no mention of the night before and seeing her all happy and flirty with his brother was rubbing him up the wrong way. "What was breakfast?" He asked eyeing the empty plates.

"Pancakes. I mentioned to Koz last night that my mum used to make them every Christmas morning and how I was gonna miss it this year and well I guess every year from now on. So anyway he surprised me this morning by making the best pancakes ever." She answered him beaming at the man beside her.

While he knew Kozik was only trying to make this day easier for her he couldn't help but feel he'd now gained the upper hand in this little game she'd been playing with the two of them.

"I assume you're not wearing that to lunch?" He asked eyeing her in sweatpants and the hoodie he'd let her keep on her first day in Tacoma. She said she wore it in the mornings because it was warm but he'd bet there was an ulterior motive to it also. It seemed there was an ulterior motive to everything she did.

"Nah. Of course not." She said scowling at him and his obvious change in mood this morning.

"Then go get changed or whatever. We gotta be at Gem's in an hour." He said continuing his grumpiness.

"Wow so cheery this morning Hap." She commented as she stood from her seat beside Kozik and headed toward her room. She knew she'd left him horny and pissed off the night before and she also knew that finding her cozied up and happy with Kozik this morning had probably contributed to his mood.

She inhaled the smell of his hoodie as she pulled it over her head, remembering back to the orgasm she'd given herself upon closing her door the previous night. She'd sunk to the floor against the door and rubbed at her clit until she'd made herself come, his face and the taste of his lips fresh in her mind.

She knew his words were right. She was playing a dangerous game with him, Kozik too. She knew if she didn't play her cards just right there'd come a point where she'd push him too far and he wouldn't stop even if she asked him to. She didn't want it to play out like that. She wanted to remain in control and she knew that was foreign to him; letting a chick be in control.

She flicked on the water of the shower and stepped in letting the hot water bead over her face and run through her hair as she tipped her head back into its stream. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She thought back on the previous night and how she had almost lot her composure over the situation. The force and taste of Happy's kiss had overwhelmed her as her insides began to burn with desire for him. It had been on the tip of her tongue to ask him to fuck her but she'd stopped herself. She knew she wasn't ready for that yet. She had no intention of letting Barry back into her heart this time but his ring was still on her finger, and the memory of the last time they'd had sex was still fresh in her mind; the night her mum and sister had been killed. Chances are that's what they'd been doing in his bed at the clubhouse, while a car drove past her house showering it in a hail of bullets that had taken her mother and sister from her and for that she felt slightly guilty.

She felt tears spring to her eyes as she raked her hands through her hair rinsing the coconut scented conditioner from it. She blinked back her tears knowing she didn't have the time to let them loose. She knew after days of blocking it out she was close to breaking point and that once she let herself cry she would find it hard to stop. She couldn't deny that although she was attracted to both the men who awaited her in the clubroom, part of the flirtatious game she had been playing with them was a distraction for herself; not letting herself feel the heartbreak that wanted to tear through her.

She bit her lip forcing her thoughts to return to Happy and how he'd made her feel the previous night and Kozik also, and how sweet his actions had been this morning. She knew he was doing everything he could to ease the pain that this day no doubt had in store for her. In many ways her attraction towards him was shifting away from a sexual one. Maybe it was the subtleness with which Happy had been playing along with her that made her hotter for him than for his brother. She couldn't necessarily say though that she would turn down any move Kozik made on her.

She stepped from the shower after flicking off the water and wrapped a towel around her dripping body and blow dried her hair.

She picked out a pair of skin tight jeans and an equally tight top to wear. Pulling her freshly washed hair into a neat ponytail at the back of her head she finished off her outfit with her knee high boots and leather jacket. She eyed herself in the mirror before she left the room.

She noticed the spark of lust in Happy's eyes when she entered the clubroom. Kozik of course was less subtle with the low shrill wolf whistle he let out. She smiled at their reaction as she headed past them and out the lot to their bikes, not sure yet who she would choose to ride behind.

Happy made the decision for her when he stalked toward his bike, placed his helmet on and rode off before she had a chance to get hers on and sit behind him.

"I guess I'm riding with you Koz." She said as he approached.

"Did something happen between you two last night? He's not usually this grumpy." Kozik asked as he put his helmet on and straddled his bike.

Kate bit her lip, wondering what to tell him. She still wasn't sure where she saw things with him going.

"Nah. Not really." She said choosing not to tell him. "I guess maybe my flirting is getting to him."

Kozik smirked. "Maybe. I can certainly attest to feeling the same way."

She gave him a small smile as she climbed onto his bike behind him. She found herself pressing her body closer than she needed to and brushing her lips along the back of his neck as he pulled out of the lot. The longer she was around the two of them these last few days the hornier she had found herself feeling when she was in such close proximity. She admitted to herself that she wouldn't mind being taken by either of them.

* * *

It only took a few minutes to get to the Morrow house and Kate took a deep breath as she got off Kozik's bike. She saw Happy's bike was already there along with many others and already she began to feel a little daunted at what the day would bring.

She felt Kozik's arm slide around her waist. "You alright?" He asked from her side.

She nodded as two more bikes pulled up, Jax and Opie on them. A brunette woman got off from behind Opie and shook her hair loose from the helmet that she passed to Opie who hung it on his handlebars as he placed his arm around her shoulders.

"Hey Katie." Jax greeted her. "Koz." He said locking hands with him.

"Hey." She said quietly, nerves setting in.

"This is Donna." Opie said moving forward. "It's her first time to Gemma's Christmas Shenanigans too."

"Hi." Kate said quietly to the other woman.

"C'mon. Let's head inside." Jax said. "Mom is dying to see you again Katie."

Kate smiled, at the thought of Gemma Teller, well Morrow now, being excited to see her. She remembered how much she had idolized the woman when she'd met her at five years old.

Upon entering the Morrow household Kate was overwhelmed with what she saw and felt. Despite the fact that most of these men and their families were strangers she could have just as well been home for the frivolity and the immediate sense of family that she felt. She choked back the emotions she felt welling inside of her as from the corner of her eye she saw Gemma Morrow emerging from the kitchen toward her. Aside from obviously growing older Kate didn't think she had changed a bit from the beautiful young woman she remembered meeting all those years ago.

"Katelyn?" Gemma said as she approached. "It's so good to see you again sweetheart."

Kate felt Kozik's arm tighten around her at Gemma's use of her name. "It's just Kate now. Or Katie." Kate answered her unable to keep the sadness from her voice.

"Of course." Gemma said stepping forward to admire the young woman who stood in front of her. "It's no wonder you've caused quite a stir among these men. You've grown into a beautiful woman Kate."

"Thank you." Kate said feeling humbled at the older woman's words.

"Come here." Gemma said pulling her into a warm embrace. "I was so sorry to hear of what happened to your family sweetheart. My deepest condolences."

"Thanks Gemma." Kate said as they parted.

"It is however my absolute pleasure to welcome you into my home to join our celebrations today." The older woman continued.

Kate smiled.

"Right now I need to go finish up some things in the kitchen but I look forward to talking to you later sweetheart. Make yourself at home." Gemma said as she returned to the kitchen.

Kate swallowed back the lump in her throat as she let her eyes span around the house and all those within. She saw Happy across the room talking to a man with dusty blonde hair and a beard that was starting to become slightly silvery. Kozik began leading her over to them.

"That's Clay. The Charming president. You'd best meet him first." He said quietly to her as they walked.

"So this is the lovely Kate Grazer, that I've heard so much about." The Charming president greeted her.

"Yes." She answered politely offering her hand. He took it and leaned in to kiss her cheek.

"I haven't had the pleasure of meeting your family as I know my wife has but I was privileged to be a first nine member alongside your uncle." He said as he drew away.

Kate noticed both Happy and Kozik look slightly taken aback at learning she was related to a founding member.

She smiled. "Uncle Wally often spoke about you." She said as Gemma announced that lunch was ready.

Kate took a seat between Kozik and Happy.

"Why the fuck didn't you mention you were related to first nine?" Happy asked quietly.

"It didn't seem important." She answered him.

He scoffed beside her. "Just makes you even more of a fuckin' princess."

Kate glared at him and his continuing belligerence towards her. "Well screw you too." She said resolving to ignore him for the rest of the afternoon.

She did her best to make it through lunch and the friendly banter that ensued without breaking down. She looked around her at the way they all interacted with each other, the atmosphere so similar to what it would have been had she been home. She was quiet through most of it and she could tell at least Kozik noticed how telling that was. She excused herself from the table when she saw that most plates were empty and made her way outside as she felt the tears she'd been trying so hard to push away all day begin to trickle down her cheeks.

She sat on Gemma's front step and placed her head in her hands finally allowing herself to crack. She heard the front door open and then close behind her a short time later. She didn't need to look around to know who it was. She felt his hand on her shoulder as he sat down beside her.

"Hey Koz." She said quietly, evidence of tears in her voice.

"Hey."

"Who's fuckin' brilliant idea was it to bring me here for Christmas?" She asked.

"Lee's." he answered her.

"Well no offence intended to your president but it was a fuckin' shitty idea!" she said pushing back a fresh batch of tears.

"I could tell all day that you've been struggling to hold these tears back."

"Don't get me wrong Koz. Everyone here is great even Tig, the perverted and depraved individual that he is, but the sense of family in that room is a little more than I can bear right now."

He nodded his head in understanding before she continued.

"You know we'd be doing exactly the same thing back home right now?" She stated rather than asked. "We'd all be gathered around the large table in my mum's kitchen, club members, old ladies as you guys call them, kids, everyone. My sister and I would put aside our bickering for a day and club business was off the table entirely. Mum would spend more time flitting about and making sure everyone else was okay before sitting down and enjoying herself but then that's what family was all about to her.

"And then after lunch Jason and I would grab a drink, him a beer and me a glass of wine and we'd go sit out on the front porch and just talk, not unlike you and me now. We'd talk for hours, usually until the sun went down. Sometimes Ivy would join us bringing him another beer and me a refill of my wine. Other times one of us would go back inside and get two more beers for Jas and the whole rest of the wine bottle for me." She said tears springing to her eyes again. "Barry ended up hating Christmas because Jason and I would end up so drunk that we made no sense to anyone else around us, with all our jokes and everything that only we understood. My mum swears we used to have our own language." She said smiling through her tears.

"I miss him Koz." She said suddenly. "I miss him so fucking much that I almost feel guilty that I don't miss my mum and sister more."

"Hey don't be so hard on yourself Katie. He obviously meant a lot to you." Kozik said running his hand down her back.

"He was my world Koz; from the moment he was born."

"So he was younger that you?"

She nodded. "Yeah although he'd always argue that five minutes didn't count."

"Shit! You mean he was your twin?"

She nodded swiping the tears from her eyes.

"Shit Katie. I had no idea. I mean Lee never said."

"I doubt he knows." She said quietly. "But I could seriously curse him for his idea of you guys bringing me here today. Everything is so fucking familiar to what it would be back home. Hell even Tig kinda reminds me of Wombat. He's maybe not quite as depraved as Tig is, but certainly as perverted and has been trying to crack onto me since I was legal."

Koz smiled at her perfect description of Tig as he pulled his pack of cigarettes from his kutte and offered her one.

"Thanks," She said taking it from him and leaning towards him slightly so he could light it.

"So tell me about your old man." He said changing the subject.

"Who? Barry? There's nothing to tell. He's an asshole that I should have left years ago."

"Oh." He answered her a little surprised at her answer. "So why didn't you leave years ago?"

"I was really young when we got together and because of that he was always very controlling. I think in a lot of ways that was what made the relationship work for him. But as I've gotten older it hasn't always worked for me. When I got my first job he was angry because I was no longer financially dependent on him and he hated that. It gave me too much freedom away from him. It made me realize there was more to life than him and the club and I left him, I had hoped for good about six months ago, but when all the shit that led me here started he weaseled his way back in again as he was always prone to do when something went wrong. He'd convince me that I needed him, that I was only safe if he was around and that he'd change. He always swore that he'd change but he never did."

"He ever hurt you?" Kozik asked.

"Not physically. Emotionally and verbally though and I've lost count of how many times he's cheated on me."

"So what was it that you did for work back home?" He asked.

She gave a slight chuckle. "You're gonna love it."

"So? What was it?" He asked curious.

"I was a waitress in a topless bar."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "So getting your gear off the other night really wasn't as big a deal as you made out?"

"Nah not really it was more fun watching you and Hap."

"So I'm assuming that, for the most part, was what your old man disliked about you getting a job?"

"I only worked there from when we broke up. I guess I only took it to spite him. Before that I was just a regular fully dressed waitress."

"You know I'd never stand for my chick getting her gear off for anyone else." He said.

She turned to face him about to answer before she met his intense gaze trained upon her. She didn't protest as he leaned in closer, taking her near finished cigarette from her hand and stubbing it out before meeting her lips with his own. His kiss was soft but commanding as she kissed him back, hearing the leather of his kutte creak as he leant in closer.

She pulled away and met his gaze again before leaning in to meet his lips once more, this time letting her tongue slide between his lips. He placed one hand at her neck, the other on the small of her back pulling her closer. Unlike the night before with Happy she had no desire to cut their kiss short and ran her hand up between them to rest upon his chest.

Neither of them heard the front door opening and only heard the noise of someone clearing their throat behind them. It held the unmistakable sound of Happy's voice as they pulled away from each other.

"Dessert's on." He said sharply giving Kozik a dismissive glare.

"Not so fast little lady." He said grabbing her arm as she moved to follow Kozik inside.

He pinned her against the wall at the side of Gemma's front door.

"What the fuck game are you playing at?" He growled.

"What's it to you? You've been an ass to me all day!" She growled back.

"Maybe because you're being a bitch."

She tried to raise her hand to slap him but he caught it in his.

"I told you last night that you're playing a dangerous game Katie. Watch yourself!"

"Or what Hap?"

"Or we won't be playing by your rules anymore." He graveled menacingly.

She knew she should have been scared of him but instead felt the familiar burning in the pit of her belly; a burning that hadn't been there when Kozik kissed her. She bit her lip and gazed up at him feeling her panties dampen. He saw the lust burning in her eyes as he took her chin in his hand. "Make up your mind Katie cos I'm just about done with your games." He said menacingly, releasing his grip on her and stalking back inside.

She stood with her back against the wall for a moment regaining the composure that she was beginning to lose more frequently when in such close proximity to Happy Lowman.


	9. Chapter 9

9/

Kozik watched Kate trudge into the clubhouse. He could tell she was completely spent emotionally. The day had been harder for her than even she had anticipated. He knew that she hadn't been thinking straight when he'd kissed her. He also knew that to some extent he had taken advantage of her emotional state and for that he felt a bit shitty.

Happy too watched her before casting a glare across to his brother and stalking in behind her. Kozik sighed as he moved to follow. He didn't know what had gone on between the two of them the night before, but he knew something had for Happy to be getting territorial over her. A few of the other Charming members had made their way back to the clubhouse, while others had gone home with their families or girlfriends. As usual the clubhouse was abuzz with activity, when Kozik entered to find Kate over near the kitchen doorway standing with Jax, his arm around her shoulders. He watched as she gave a small nod before heading down the hallway to her room.

Kozik approached Jax. "She alright?" He greeted the Charming VP.

"Yeah I think so. Today was pretty hard for her." Jax answered the Tacoma charter's SAA.

Kozik nodded. "Yeah I figured it would be. What'd you tell her just then?"

"That today would likely be her hardest to get through and suggested she go call her old man, get some familiarity happening."

"I doubt she'll be doing that. She's more or less left him by the sounds of it."

"Really? She didn't say anything."

"She spilled it all to me today when we were outside."

Jax nodded. "Look I don't know what she's got going on with you and Happy but just go slow with her. She's not in any kind of emotional state to be getting involved with any kind of love triangle with you two."

Kozik nodded. "We're both about supporting her first and foremost. Trust me when I say she's calling the shots when it comes to anything else."

Jax nodded with a smirk. "She strikes me as the sort of woman who's used to getting her own way."

"You can say that again." Kozik agreed, looking across the clubroom to find Happy beside the pool table with Tig, a blonde croweater hanging off his side.

He knew they needed to talk about what was going on with each of them when it came to Kate, but decided it could wait until he was away from Tig. He had no desire to stir up any of the past conflict they shared.

* * *

Behind her closed dorm room door, Kate pulled out her phone and dialed the Geelong clubhouse number, hoping that her father would be there to pick up.

On the third ring he answered.

"Hey Daddy." She said, smiling at the familiarity of his voice.

"Katie! Merry Christmas baby."

"Merry Christmas dad." She said her words feeling empty.

"How's your day been sweetheart?" He asked.

"Okay I guess. A couple of the Tacoma guys brought me to Charming where they have this big family Christmas. It was actually a little overwhelming to be honest. How about you? What did you get up to?" She asked hoping that he'd had company and distraction for the day.

"It was actually yesterday here, but Wombat and I spent the day with Stan and his family. It was nice and we went out to visit Barry in the afternoon."

"Sorry dad I forgot the time difference. I should have called yesterday."

"That's okay sweetheart. Are you doing okay over there? They're looking after you?"

"Yeah Dad. They are."

"Good. Listen sweetheart, while I've got you, I still need to talk with Lee about the details but I'm coming over in a couple of days."

"Oh?" She said questioningly, wondering what that meant for where she would end up and whether he intended for her to return home with him.

"Given what's happened with the club I need to meet in person with the Charming charter so I'll stop over in Tacoma first to see you." He continued.

She smiled. "It'll be good to see you Dad." She said.

"I've missed you sweetheart and there's obviously a few things we need to discuss." He said.

"Like about me coming home?" She said hopefully, even though a part of her wondered what that would mean for the friendships she was beginning to forge on American soil.

"I'm still not sure when that will be a long term option sweetheart."

"Okay daddy." She said beginning to wonder if she even wanted to go home. Without Jason, or her mother and Ivy, she wondered what there even was there for her.

"I'll call Lee tomorrow once I know all the flight details. Are you still in Charming?"

"Yeah I am. I think we're heading back to Tacoma in the morning."

"Alright well I'll have Lee fill you in on the details when you get back there as I doubt I'll catch you if you're riding all day tomorrow."

"Okay Dad. I love you."

"I love you too Katie. I'll see you in a few days."

"Yep. Bye Dad."

"Bye Katie." He said just before the line went dead.

She let the phone fall from her hand as she took a deep breath letting the emotions of the day wash over her. She pictured her father sitting alone in his clubhouse, a place that he would never usually be at Christmas time. It would be closed up normally until New Year's Eve at which point their biggest party of the year would kick off.

She closed her eyes as they grew wet with tears, letting her thoughts linger on Jason and their annual drunken festivities. He'd not only been her twin but her best friend, perhaps the only one that truly understood her and the complexities of her relationship with Barry. He'd been the only one that had given her his full support when she'd left and moved to Melbourne. He'd understood her need to get away from the club ties and make a life for herself. She had to smile at the memory of him visiting her at work, the shock and the bright red color all over his face at seeing her serving tables in lingerie. She'd only been grateful it hadn't been one of the themed nights that the restaurant she worked in did on Fridays and for private functions.

She fought back the thought that she'd never again be able to confide in him. She only wished that she'd been able to spend more time with him before she'd been shipped off to the other side of the world, but instead she hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye.

She sat in the middle of the double bed in her room, letting her tears fall for the first time since learning of his death. Her heart ached and her mind swam with the memories of what had been and the realization of what could never be.

* * *

She knew her face was still red and tear streaked despite the long shower she'd just taken, when she made her way back out to the clubroom later that evening. She was relieved to see it had emptied out somewhat with only a few members remaining. She spied Jax in the corner with a sandy, blonde haired woman in his lap, before her eyes swept the room looking for either Kozik or Happy; she didn't care which, she only wanted a familiar face.

She found them both outside, bathed in the yellow glow of the lights fixed to the side of the clubhouse, seemingly ready to go head to head with each other. She hung back in the door way for a moment gauging their mood before she stepped in.

"What the fuck were you thinking kissing her when she was so clearly vulnerable?" Happy growled his fist furled at his side.

"Probably the same thing you were thinking last night when things got all hot and heavy between the two of you." Kozik countered angrily back.

"I told ya. She came onto me."

"And that makes it okay compared to what I did does it?"

"I didn't take advantage of 'er." Happy growled.

"Fuck you Hap!" Kozik said raising his fist ready to strike the man in front of him.

"Alright! Stop." Kate said loudly moving forward from the doorway, her voice alone enough to stop Kozik's fist midair.

Both men turned to face her. "Just stop okay?" She said quietly stepping between the two of them.

"So you've both kissed me and neither of you took advantage of me." She said eyeing Happy, "I've been flirting with both of you for weeks. It was going to happen. Right now I'm in no frame of mind to deal with you two beating the shit out of each other over it so please can you just let it go?"

"You heard what I said earlier little lady and I saw the lust burning in your eyes when you should have been scared shitless of me. Stop playing games and make a decision." Happy growled before turning and stalking into the Charming clubhouse. Something told her she wasn't going to see him again that night and that he would more than likely find solace in the arms of one of the many women that flocked about the Charming clubhouse.

She turned her attention to Kozik who still stood beside her. "I'm sorry Kate. I shouldn't have kissed you this afternoon."

"No. It's okay Koz. It was kind of nice." She said softly taking a seat on the picnic table he stood in front of.

"Is that what you said to Hap last night?" He asked accusingly.

"Koz, please. I've made no secret that I like you both. Last night when I saw Happy with that girl in his lap I was jealous. I wanted to let him know how I felt. And today when you kissed me, to be honest it's only confused me more and after today, I know I'm not ready for anything more with either one of you right now."

He sat beside her. "I get that Kate. I can see you've had a tough day."

"The worst Koz. All I want is to be home with my family but that's never going to happen again." She said quietly, drawing in a deep breath to keep fresh tears at bay.

He placed his hand on her knee. "I don't know what I can say Kate except that I'm here if you need to talk."

She gave him a small smile. "Thanks Koz. That's really all I need right now."

"I have to ask though, who's a better kisser?" He asked a cheeky smirk on his face.

She smiled at his casual jovialness knowing that was one of things that she liked about him. "Well I have to say you don't I?"

"How do I know that's true?" He asked as she hopped down from the table.

"You don't but I wouldn't mind kissing you again sometime." She said with a wink as she moved away.

He smiled and shook his head at her continued flirting.

"I think I'm gonna head to bed." She said as she reached the clubhouse door.

"Be ready to leave early in the morning Kate." He said as she backed through the door into the clubhouse.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for the continued support on this story and I assure you I haven't abandoned Never Let Me Go, Kate is just dominating my creativity right now. Apologies for any typos in this chapter. I'm putting it up while my head is clouded with a cold and now I need to go pick up my daughter from school who's come down with it too!**

 **Please review and let me know what you think of this latest chapter and where it is heading!**


	10. Chapter 10

10/

 ** _December 26th 2006_**

The Charming clubhouse was near empty as the sun crept over the horizon. Kate dumped her bag on a couch and made her way over to the bar where Kozik sat, coffee in hand.

"Where's Hap?" She asked.

"He left already." Kozik answered as she filled her own mug with the steamy brown liquid.

"So I guess I'm headed back with you."

"Yeah. He's headed down to Bakersfield to visit his mom anyway."

"Nice of him to say goodbye." She said dryly as she took a seat next to him.

"He's still a little pissed about what happened yesterday." Kozik said informing her of what she already knew.

She nodded. "I know. I can't say I blame him. I know what I've been doing has messed with both of you but I guess in a way it's helped me to deal with everything else."

"Or avoid dealing with everything else?"

"Yeah pretty much." She said sadly.

"C'mon let's head out. I wanna make it back to Tacoma by tonight."

"What? We're riding the whole way in one day?"

"Yeah. We'll stop for lunch somewhere and then keep going."

"Okay." She said not knowing how she felt about riding nearly twelve hours in one day.

* * *

The ride gave her time to think as she watched the unfamiliar scenery rushing past her. She knew she had to make a choice between the two of them and she knew what that choice was.

"Medford again?" She asked as he pulled into the parking lot of a burger joint.

"Yeah. It's pretty much halfway and Hap and I haven't found a better burger joint than this one right here." He said as she got off and passed him her helmet and shook her hair loose.

She nodded. "Fair enough." She answered, he could tell with something weighing heavy on her mind.

"C'mon let's head in and grab a table." He said wrapping his arm around her shoulders and leading her in.

"So what's with you and Tig?" Kate asked as they sat down in a booth by the window. "I couldn't help but notice you guys don't get along."

He sighed across from her before he answered. "It's not something I really wanna talk about Kate."

"C'mon. I've poured my heart out to you the last couple of days Koz."

"Yeah. I guess you have. Look Kate I haven't always been as level headed as I am now. I've got a lot of skeletons in my closet that I'm not proud of."

He paused as a waitress neared the table and passed them some menus and began rattling off the day's specials.

"Thanks darlin'" Kozik said before she moved away.

"So you were saying?" Kate prompted him to continue.

"I was a junkie Kate. You name a drug and I've probably tried it but it was heroin that messed me up, real bad. I spent nearly two years of my life just living day to day, hit to hit. It's a fucked up way to live you know? You know that what you're doing is more than likely gonna kill you one day but all that matters is that next hit."

She nodded encouraging him to continue. She had no experience with drug addicts other than the ones she'd often walked past in the streets near her apartment.

"So, I overdosed more than once. It was after about the third time that I woke up in a hospital bed rather than on the pavement. My brother had found me and called an ambulance. It was like my wake up call. Well the first one at least. I knew I had to get clean, the only thing being I had no idea how."

"So can I take your order?" The waitress interrupted again.

"You know what you want Katie?" Kozik asked.

"Whatever you think is good." She said.

"We'll have two double cheeseburgers with sides of fries and two cokes." Kozik ordered.

"Could you make one of those a lemonade please?" Kate asked to which the waitress looked at her like she had two heads.

"She means sprite."

"Oh." The waitress said.

"And can we grab some onion rings too thanks?" Kozik added before she moved away.

"Sure." She said collecting their menus and heading away from the table.

"What'd I say wrong?"

"Lemonade is what your grandma makes from freshly squeezed lemons and what little kids sell at lemonade stands."

"Oh right." She said.

"Anyway when I got out of hospital I knew I had to get clean and the only way I could do it was to go cold turkey. It worked for a while but I knew it was still out there. It was like it was calling to me and I found myself back at all my old haunts. So in an effort to distract myself from it I joined the marines and that was where I met Tig. We were instantly friends despite what you may think."

"So where did it all go wrong?" Kate asked as the waitress delivered their food.

"Thanks sweetheart." He said before continuing. "I was discharged from the marines when I relapsed and this time it was worse than ever. Tig though was determined to help me so we moved in together and that was when I got my second wake up call. Tig had this dog, Missy, and she was absolutely fucking everything to him. He loved her more than I'll bet he's ever loved anything. So one day I was totally strung out and I left not only the front door open but the gate too and she got out. Something must have spooked her once she was out and she ran directly into the path of a car. The driver of the car mustn't have bothered to stop because I didn't even know what had happened until Tig came home and found her. She was messed up really bad, half dead in his arms. He of course blamed me for it and hasn't forgiven me since."

"So after that you got clean again?" She asking taking a long sip of her drink.

"Yeah Tig and I parted ways. We'd both been looking into joining the Sons before Missy got killed just now we clearly weren't gonna do it together. He moved down to Cali and joined Redwood while I stayed in Tacoma and joined there." He said picking up an onion ring.

Kate nodded. "Wow. So you've been clean ever since?"

"Yeah. And I have Hap to thank for that. He was the reason I joined the Sons in the first place."

"So you guys have known each other a long time then?" She asked absentmindedly flicking the fries in the basket next to her back and forth with her finger.

"Nearly longer than you've been alive." He answered.

She nodded a distracted look taking over her face. "Look Koz, I need to be honest with you," she began. "When you kissed me yesterday it … it was good I mean you're a great kisser and if Happy hadn't interrupted us I could've kept on doing it. I like you Koz but when I'm with Happy it's different. When he kissed me it was electrifying. I just get this feeling all over me that I need him so bad. Even yesterday after you went inside he pinned me to the wall and he was growling at me but well just being that close to him was kind of turning me on."

"So what you're saying is you want him over me?"

"In some ways yeah. But the thing is Koz I feel like I connect with you so much more on an emotional level. I can talk to you so much more than I can Hap and I know part of that is because he isn't much of a conversationalist but I feel like I could tell you anything Koz."

"But Happy's the one that makes you wet?" He asked as he pushed his empty plate away from him.

Kate blushed. "You both kinda do, but Happy more so."

"So you're gonna tell him that you want him when he's back?" Kozik asked.

"If he'll have me." She answered.

"Oh he'll have you Kate. I've never seen him so hung up on a chick."

She smiled a small smile at him. "So are you okay with me choosing him?"

"I'm not gonna deny that I'm a little pissed Kate but you really did have to choose one of us. While I'm pissed that you didn't choose me I'm not really surprised that you chose Hap. I've seen the way you look at him."

"Oh yeah? And how is that?"

"Like your begging him to fuck you senseless just by looking at him."

She blushed again. "I'm sorry Koz."

"Don't be Kate. It's good that you've made a choice between us. It was starting to be a problem."

She nodded. "I know."

"You done eating?" he asked eyeing her half empty plate.

"Yeah." She answered.

"C'mon then, let's get back on the road."

* * *

It was two days later when Happy returned to Tacoma. He went straight to the clubhouse, desperate for a fuck and half hoping that Kate would offer.

His hopes were dashed when he walked into the clubhouse to find Kate sitting beside Kozik giggling like a school girl. They were surely sitting too close to each other for just friends and he guessed something must have gone down between them on the way back from Charming. In the back of his mind he had known it would.

He stalked to the bar and grabbed a shot glass and a bottle of tequila, slamming the latter down on the bar after filling the glass.

"Oh hey Hap. Didn't hear you come in." Kozik said turning from where he sat clearly entertaining Kate. "How's your mom doing?"

"Yeah not too bad. She said to say hi." He answered gruffly staring past Kozik to Kate who say meekly next to him, probably scared of the tirade she was expecting when he learnt of her decision.

"Good to hear she's doing okay." Kozik said. "Listen I'm gonna head out. I'll catch you both later." He continued with a glance Happy couldn't read toward Kate.

 _What the fuck did that mean? Had they hatched up a plan to break the news of their new found relationship to him gently?_

Kate rose and headed over to where he sat while Kozik went toward the door.

"Got another glass?" She asked.

He pulled one from behind the bar and filled it, pushing it across the bar toward her. He watched as she picked it up and tipped it back, placing it back on the bar for another. He guessed it was going to be harder for her than he'd thought to break her decision to him.

"Has Lee kept you up to date with club business?" She asked suddenly.

 _What the fuck was she bringing up club stuff for?_ "Yeah." He answered gruffly not sure where she was headed with the conversation.

"So you know my dad's coming over?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah. When's he arrive?"

"Tomorrow morning. He wants to talk about me going home." She said looking across the bar at him, a somewhat forlorn look on her face. _So there's more going on here than just who she wants._

"You ready to go?" He asked.

"I'm not sure. I mean he said he needs to talk to me in person rather than over the phone so I'm guessing things aren't really sorted yet."

"He wouldn't even be toying with the idea of taking you back if it weren't safe."

"I know I just, I'm not sure what's left for me there Hap. I mean aside from my dad my whole family is dead. My fiancé is in prison for who knows how long and well I was going to end things with him anyway." She said toying with her ring.

"Is that because of what's been going on here?" He asked still convinced she'd had her way with Koz.

"No. It's been coming for a while. I split from him six months before all the club shit started but as usual he convinced me to take him back."

"Do you love him?" Happy asked watching her continue to toy with her ring.

"No. I don't. I'm not sure that I ever did." She said sliding it down to the very tip of her finger and then sliding it back up.

"Why'd you agree to marry him then?"

"It's complicated. I've been with him since I was 16 Hap. Aside from a few spiteful one night stands he's the only man I've ever been with. I suppose I didn't know any different but now being here I do."

He nodded. "So why is his ring still on your finger?" he asked.

She slid it down to the tip of her finger again and left it there for a few seconds before sliding it all the way off and it placing on the bar in front of her.

"That feel better?" Happy asked.

"Yeah it kinda does."

"So I guess you confided in Kozik all the reasons why your relationship when wrong?"

"Yeah. Some of them."

"What else did you two get up to?" He asked, she knew probing her on whether she'd made a decision between the two of them yet.

"Nothing that you're alluding to." She answered giving him a sideways glance to gauge his reaction.

"Why's that?" He asked gruffly.

"Because he's not the one that I chose." She answered still eyeing him.

He didn't say anything as he picked up a napkin and a pen from behind the bar and wrote down an address and then slid it across the bar to her. "I'm heading home. Haven't been there yet. Come by later." He said fixing her with a resolute stare, a spark of lust dancing in his dark eyes, as she headed toward the door.

"Hap," She called him back. "I don't have a car and well I'm not too confident with the whole driving on the wrong side of the road thing if I were to borrow one."

He looked her up and down, saw her subconsciously biting her lip in an effort to suppress the hormones that were raging through her.

"C'mon then." He said gruffly motioning for her to follow. He knew his words alone had her wet.

* * *

 **A/N: So now we're getting somewhere. Kate has made her decision between the two and the next chapter promises lots of smut ...**

 **I wasn't expecting to have this up so soon but here it is. I've had the next few chapters written for sometime so depending on how busy my week gets next week (it's promising to be kind of that way!) I may get another chapter or two up before the end of the week.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: So being that I'm off work today as I still have my daughter home sick I decided to get this up as it only needed minimal editing. Here we have roughly 3000 words of smut. Enjoy!**

11/

He felt her pressed closer against him than she usually did as he rode the short distance to his house. He pulled his bike to a stop in his driveway and waited for her to get off behind him. He grabbed a hold of her wrist as she handed him the spare helmet.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" He asked giving her just one chance at backing out.

She bit her lip and nodded, her face shadowed in the growing dusk, he could see the lust burning in her eyes. He hung her helmet and his own on the handlebars and threw his leg over his bike to stand beside her. He took her face in his hands and pressed his thumbs down her cheeks to rest just below her earlobes as his intense gaze met the softness of her blue eyes. He'd only imagined those eyes staring back up at him with their own intense desire; only imagined her standing before him like this, no doubt dripping wet in anticipation.

He dropped his hands from her face and turned toward the front door pulling his keychain from his pocket as he did so. She hugged her arms around herself as she followed him to the door, already feeling heat grow in her core as he held the door open for her.

She looked around the perfect neatness of the lounge room she stood in as he closed the front door behind himself. He stepped behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders before running them down her arms, feeling her quiver beneath them. He turned her in his embrace and chipped her chin up to meet her eyes, their soft blue staring intently back at him. He knew this was what she wanted as that never wavering composure stared back at him. He pressed his lips against hers and she responded with eagerness, desperation even. His kiss was hard and deep as his pressed his tongue between her lips. She gasped as his tongue met with her own. Her fingers clawed at his neck, that she could only just reach, desperate for him to lift her into his arms. He gripped her ass and pulled her up forcing her legs to lock around his waist as he carried her over to the kitchen counter and dumped her down upon it. She gasped as his lips ravaged her neck while his hands pushed her jacket from her shoulders and continued to blaze a trail down her chest to the low neckline of her tight fitting top. He heard her breath coming in slow short gasps and knew she was losing the composure she was hell bent on keeping. He smiled to himself knowing he had to break through that barrier to get her to feel rather than think her way through this.

She rested her hand upon his torso and his bulging abs beneath the thin white material of his t-shirt beneath her fingertips. She slid his kutte from his shoulders as she pressed her lips hard upon his again, pressing her tongue against his, melting at his taste and his scent that blazed through her nostrils; sharp masculinity of his cologne and the smokiness of cigarettes that lingered on his skin. She pushed his t-shirt up desperate to feel his bare flesh warm beneath her hands. Her eyes rested upon the tattoos that covered his chest as she raised the thin white material over his head. She bit her lip and met his dark eyes with her own before lowering her lips to his shoulders and kissing a trail down his collarbone. His fingers curled through her hair a moment before pulling her lips back to his own. He couldn't get enough of her taste as he scooped her into his arms again and carried her to his bedroom where he pressed her against the wall, his lips making their way down her neck, to her shoulders and breasts as he pulled her top over her head. He gazed briefly upon the red laciness of her bra before placing his hands beneath it. He'd been right, a little more than a handful, he thought biting her nipple between his teeth. He heard her gasp at the pain of his slight nip and immediately ran his tongue across her to soothe it. He met her gaze and immediately knew she'd never had it rough as he saw a spark of fear rise in them and that resolute composure begin to return. He'd have to remember to go slow.

He pressed his lips against hers again, softer this time. To his surprise she pressed hers harder against his and bit his bottom lip between her teeth. He drew away and met her gaze again and saw a fire burning there like he'd awakened some deep desire within her. She ran her hands across his shoulders down to his tight muscled chest. He saw the lustful spark in her eyes begin to burn brighter as she did so and knew instantly how wet she was as she breathed slowly and gasping in his arms. She felt the heat in her belly grow as he ran his hand down between them and across the material of her jeans that still covered her. She gasped and pressed herself against his fingers already feeling her insides begin to burn. He tightened his grip around her hips as he pulled her from the wall and turned toward the bed placing her down on it and prowling over her to meet her lips again. He ran his hands down the soft creaminess of her skin to the waistband of her jeans while his tongue pressed imploringly against hers. She dragged her nails down his shoulders to his back and bucked her hips up off the bed as he pulled her jeans down them.

His eyes rested upon the ink on her hip for a moment, seeing it for the first time and taking in its flaws, shaky lines and the scarring it had caused on her beautiful smooth skin. He tore his eyes away from it not wanting to think about the name that was inscribed within it or the damage it had done to her.

She lowered her hand to his belt buckle to quickly rid him of his own pants. He stood briefly to let them drop to the floor and then laid against her letting her feel his growing hard on through his boxers as he sucked at the delicious skin at the nape of her neck wanting already to leave his mark on her.

She could tell already as he moved over her that he was bigger than she'd ever had. He unclipped her bra and slid it down her arms before taking her nipple in his mouth again, this time sucking it hard and keeping his teeth away. He heard her soft gasping moans beneath him as he worked her body, he knew increasing her wetness with every touch. He slid his fingers beneath the lace of her panties and pressed them against her slick opening, running them teasingly over it a few times before dipping his fingers in spreading her wetness. She moaned at his touch and hungrily tightened her pussy around his fingers. She whimpered as he slid his fingers from her but then gasped at the soft touch of his fingers as they slid her panties down her thighs. He stood to remove his boxers while she looked on longingly.

"Holy crap. You're huge." She said, her voice catching slightly in her throat as he stood only semi erect in front of her. He saw the fear and composure return once again to her eyes and reached for her hand to pull her towards him. He could tell she'd never had anything like him before, probably not even close and he was going to have ease her into it, and break down her walls once again. He placed her hand around his shaft and coaxed her to begin stroking it. She looked down at his slowly hardening length in her hand and began to long for it inside her. She could hold out no longer, as she continued to run his now rock hard cock between her fingers.

"I need you inside me Hap." She said breathily.

He could tell how much she wanted him despite the fear he could still see in her eyes. He moved her hand from him and kissed her placing his hand at her back and slowly nudged her back up the bed as he crawled over her their lips never parting. He reached into the nightstand drawer and pulled out a condom which he rolled down his length before lying over her and placing himself between her thighs. He met her eyes as he began to press into her.

"Oh Christ Happy." She gasped feeling her walls stretch to accommodate him.

"Jesus Katie. You're so fucking tight." He moaned astounded that he could only press half of his cock in to begin with. He began to draw in and out, going in a little deeper each time as her nails dug deep into the skin of his back. Her soft whimpery moans beneath him turned to louder, gasping ones as he began to hit deeper inside her than she had ever experienced before. He knew her tightness and the way his dick was getting squeezed within her meant he wasn't going to last long.

"Kiss me," she gasped wanting to feel his lips upon hers as the searing bliss of her impending orgasm began to build deep within her core. He met her lips with his as he pumped in and out of her slowly increasing his speed now that he'd buried his entirety in her. She moaned into his mouth barely able to keep kissing him as her climax began to reach its peak.

"You ready to come Katie?" He asked pulling his lips away.

"Yes." She gasped as she wrapped one leg around his waist forcing him to press in deeper, gasping at first in pain and then ecstasy as the increased angle tipped her over the edge. She screamed beneath him as the searing warmth that had slowly been building, exploded into what felt like a million fireworks inside her.

"Oh dear god Happy." She moaned as her orgasm simmered away, while he chased his own.

He pressed his lips hard against hers and pumped in and out of her a few more times before he groaned exploding deep within her. She ran her hands across his chest still coming down from her own high, the orgasm she'd just experienced making any other she'd thought she'd had previously pale in comparison.

He slid from her and gazed upon her still awestruck face. He could tell she was still reeling as he rose from on top of her and headed to the bathroom. He disposed of the condom and flicked the shower on. He put his head around the corner of the door. "You gonna join me?" He asked.

"Yeah." She answered still a little breathily. She rose from the bed a little surprised at how sore she felt as she headed to the bathroom and stepped into the shower behind him.

She spent a few moments letting the hot water soothe her aching thighs before she began running her hands over his back beginning already to yearn for more. He turned and kissed her, doubting she could possibly be up for more after the pounding he had just given her. She surprised him when she moved her hand down between them and began to stroke and pull at him, making his flaccid cock grow hard again. Her breathing grew into soft gasping moans again as she let go of him and turned bracing herself against the wall making it clear to him what she wanted. He grabbed a fresh condom from the bathroom cabinet and slid it on before grabbing one of her hips with one hand and bracing himself against the wall with the other. He found her opening with his tip and pressed against it teasingly. He smirked as she pushed herself back against him desperate to have him inside her once more. He slid in effortlessly having loosened her a little the first time. Her delicious moans once again filled the air as he drew in and out of her this time keeping a measured and even pace.

"Oh Christ Happy!" She moaned as her insides began to burn with searing bliss. It built so fast that she could barely hold herself up. He slapped her ass as her moans turned to whimpers and her legs began to buckle.

"Oh god Happy." She moaned shrilly, her voice a mix of ecstasy and pain. He knew her building orgasm was beginning to overwhelm her. He reached behind him and flicked off the water that had become cold on his back while sliding from her. He turned her and hoisted her dripping body into his arms as he stepped from the shower and placed her on the bathroom countertop. He positioned her just right so he could slide back into her, her head tipping back in ecstasy as he did so.

"Oh Christ Hap." She moaned as her insides electrified into an orgasm more powerful than the first. He continued his steady rhythm pumping in and out of her seeking his own release as hers continued to rampage through her still as powerful as it had started out. He could tell she couldn't take much more as she gripped hard to his shoulders.

"Fuck Hap. Fuck, fuck, fuck! Fucking come for me Hap! Please fucking come!" She begged as tears began to roll down her face. He felt her nails sink deeper into his shoulders as she gripped them, her insides overwhelmed with searing bliss that bordered on pain.

She felt his hand grip tighter around her hip as he quickened his pace desperately trying to seek his release if only to appease her. She dragged her nails down his back as she felt him shudder against her, coming hard within her. "Oh fuck!" She yelled as her insides exploded in an overwhelming crescendo.

"Oh fuck Hap." She murmured breathlessly against him as he pulled her close and slid from her, his hands at the sides of her head as he pulled her head back and kissed her still breathless lips. She collapsed against him gasping hard as he wrapped his arms around her and carried her back to the bedroom knowing her legs would be shaky. He placed her down on the bed knowing that she'd never experienced anything like that before. He pulled one of his t-shirts from a drawer and threw it onto the bed next to her where she sat still composing herself.

"Put that on when you're ready." He said grabbing a pair of boxers from the same drawer and pulling them on.

He watched as she pulled his t-shirt over her head and moved over on his large bed he could tell wanting to talk. He'd let Kozik do most of the talking when it came to supporting her through everything but he knew this was going to be different.

He sat beside her and looked into her eyes, those captivating soft blue eyes and wondered what she was thinking.

"I never knew sex could be so amazing." She said her voice still drunk with pleasure. It was the first time that she hadn't faked an orgasm and she knew he could tell.

He smirked. "There's more where it came from." He said relishing the sultry tones of her accent. She'd been starting to lose it a little this past week but it had come back tenfold while he was fucking her.

She smiled a lusty smile at him as he lay on his stomach beside her propping himself on his elbows.

"What does this mean for the three of us?" She asked.

"You mean with Kozik?" He asked.

She nodded, biting her lip. "Yeah." She said quietly.

"I don't know, Katie but I think we both know you and I will be doing that again." He answered her.

She smiled a sweet smile at him, a lusty sparkle in her eye. "I can't deny that." She said. "But I'm pretty sure that you know I like you both." She said quietly.

"Yeah, I'm aware of that Kate. I'm just not sure I wanna share you now that I've had you."

"I told him that I'd chosen you but he's probably still going to be jealous."

"Can we talk about him some other time?" he asked running his hand down her side.

"Yeah." She sighed.

"C'mere and lie down." He said. "I wanna take a closer look at that ink on your hip."

She frowned, having never liked it and knowing what a botched job it was. She did as he said and let him push the hem of his t-shirt up to expose her hip to him. He ran his finger over the scarred lines of the blood dripping dagger. The blacks were incredibly dark, the red too. The name across the blade showed the most scarring of all.

He frowned up at her. "You know this is possibly one of the shittiest tattoo jobs I've ever seen."

She nodded. "It hurt like a bitch." She said.

"I'm not surprised." He answered her. "Whoever did it went way too deep into the skin. That's why it's so badly scarred." He informed her.

"Could you cover it?" She asked knowing he was responsible for most of the club's tattoos.

"I could if you wanted me to."

"I want you to." She said without hesitation.

"It's one thing to take his ring off Katie. It's another to ink over his name on your skin."

"And it's another again to have mind blowing sex with another man before I've officially broken things off with him."

He smirked. "What do you wanna cover it with?"

"I've always liked the idea of a skull and roses."

He nodded running his fingers across the line work again. "That could work." He said thinking it over. "You want me to figure something out?"

"If you could."

"I will. But right now I don't know about you but I'm beat. Time to sleep little lady." He said lying down beside her and keeping his hand on her hip.

She kissed his lips one last time before rolling to her side and pressing her ass against him as he pulled the covers up over them both. She fell into a deeply satisfied sleep with the warm touch of his hand at her hip and his body close behind her.


	12. Chapter 12

Kate woke the next morning and rolled to see him still at her side. She took a moment to gaze upon him in his slumber and think back upon the previous night as her eyes rested upon his tattoos and the way they covered his rippling muscles. She couldn't deny how incredible it had been; she'd never experienced anything like it. However, despite her conversation with Kozik she couldn't help the small part of her felt that she had betrayed him. She knew the blond haired biker was still attracted to her and must be jealous of the choice she'd made.

She glanced at the clock on the nightstand and sat with a start. "Shit Hap. Wake up!" She said shaking his shoulder.

"Fuck Katie. What's up?" He growled his voice heavy with sleep.

"We gotta get back to the clubhouse. My dad's coming this morning remember?"

"We got plenty of time Kate. Relax will ya?"

"Lee said his plane was getting in at 8am Hap. It's already nearly nine."

"Was he coming direct or via LA?"

"From LA."

"Shit. He will have cleared customs in LA. So they're probably already on their way from the airport if not nearly at the clubhouse."

"Exactly. You have to get me there straight away and he can't know that we had sex. At least not yet."

He nodded as he pulled himself out of bed and began to dress while she did the same.

Kate was one step ahead of him out the door and to his bike, causing him to pull her back into his arms. "Relax alright? You're gonna give us away just by how worked up you are."

She nodded and took a deep breath as she watched him sit astride his bike. She held a little tighter than normal to him as he brought his ride to life. He'd learnt that she was prone to doing that when she was nervous about something.

He got them to the Tacoma lot in record time. Katie bit her lip upon seeing that Lee and Lorca's bikes were back in the lot along with one she hadn't seen before. It meant that her father was already here.

"Chill okay?" Happy said pulling her back for a moment before allowing her to walk the short distance to the clubhouse. She nodded. "Yeah." She said quietly, he could tell nervously. She didn't know how she felt about her father crashing into this world she'd begun to create for herself. She sure as hell didn't want him to know what had gone on last night between her and Happy. There were so many uncertainties to her life right now the biggest of which being whether or not he intended to rip her away from where she was beginning to feel comfortable.

She took a deep breath as Happy's arm reached over her head to push open the clubhouse door that she stood before, not sure she wanted to enter.

Her father looked up immediately from where he sat with nearly all the Tacoma members.

"Katie baby. Where have you been?" He asked as he rose and approached her.

"Oh I um …" She started.

"We went out early to grab some breakfast." She heard Happy say from behind her when she faltered on an answer.

He stepped forward and offered his hand to the man before him. He could see similarities to Kate in facial structure and the color of his eyes as her father took his offered hand.

"Happy." He said by way of introduction.

"Len." Her father answered as their hands parted. "So you're the other member that's been keeping an eye on my daughter?" He asked to which Happy just nodded.

Lenny Grazer turned to his attention to his Kate. "You're looking good sweetheart. I can see they've been treating you well here." He said taking her into is arms.

She couldn't help but notice Kozik's amused, if not slightly suspicious look trained on her and Happy and she took a deep breath before drawing away from her father's embrace. "I'm doing okay Daddy but it's been hard being away from home through all this."

"I know sweetheart." He said as they headed back over to the couches and sat down. "That's why I'm here." He continued. "I'm headed down to Charming for a couple of days and then I want you to come home with me."

"Oh. For good?" She asked with trepidation. She wasn't sure that she even wanted to go home.

"Perhaps not permanently at this stage but there are a few things that need to be taken care of."

"Okay so how long will I be there for?"

"A week perhaps a little more. There's Jason's memorial that I know you'll want to attend and Barry needs to see you."

Happy noticed her tense beside him and hide her left hand from view. "Is he still in jail?" She asked.

"He is. Look Kate he could be looking at years inside. That's part of what I need to talk to you about."

Kate sighed hoping that what he had to say next was not what she was expecting he would. "What's that?" she asked.

"He's been charged with manslaughter Katie so he's looking at a minimum of seven years inside."

"Wow. Okay. So what does that mean you want from me?" She asked with trepidation sure that she knew what was coming. She stole a glance toward Happy beside her and Kozik across from her. The look upon their faces confirmed that her suspicions were not misplaced.

"It means Katie that you need to marry him before he stands trial so that you can't be called as a witness."

"A witness to what? I wasn't there."

"A witness to his character and the type of life he leads."

Kate took a long deep breath and then let it out again. "And how can I do that? Wouldn't the process of marrying him while he's in jail be really long and complicated?"

"He's expected to make bail, Katie. Then it may be months until his trial."

"Dad look I … I don't know. We only got back together days before I came here."

"I'm aware of that Kate but you've been together for years and right now the club needs you to make things official."

"And so when is this supposedly going to happen?"

"There's no rush at this stage, at least until a court date is set. At the moment I want you to come home with me like I said but only for about a week. Then depending on what's decided when I meet with Charming you'd come back here for a time, maybe another month or so and then come back for the wedding."

"So what you're saying is that I'm supposed to marry him in a month?" Kate asked unable to keep the disdain from her voice.

"Yes Kate." Lenny answered hearing the tone of his daughter's voice. "I'll have you remember Katelyn everything that club has done for you over the years. It's your turn now to pay it back." He said in a low menacing voice that had Happy on edge. He knew it wasn't his place to involve himself in Kate's family or the charter they were head of but he was beginning to see just how much she must have battled with being their princess.

To his surprise Kate nodded beside him. "Okay Dad. Whatever." She said with a long sigh.

"Katie we really need your cooperation on this. Anything you say under oath if you get called as a witness could put him away for longer. You know we have to make it so that doesn't happen."

"I said whatever Dad." Kate snapped.

"Len, we should leave for Charming soon." Lee addressed the other man not only for the pressing need to leave but also to put an end to the conversation that he could tell was not only upsetting Kate, but Happy also. Everyone in both Tacoma and Charming had picked up on the sexual tension between the two of them and he'd bet they hadn't been getting breakfast.

Lenny Grazer nodded. "And what about Kate? Will she stay here?"

"You've met Kozik and Happy who have been responsible for keeping an eye on her. They'll continue to do so in our absence."

Lenny nodded. "Think on it while I'm gone Katie and be ready to leave when I get back." He said in that same low commanding tone.

"Sure Daddy." Kate answered him sounding defeated as she watched him leave the clubhouse behind Lee and Lorca. Donut and Bowie filed out also.

"Are you always expected to do what Daddy wants?" Happy asked from beside her.

"Pretty much." She answered, with a slight snarl as she leant back into the sofa she sat beside him on.

"I'm guessing you don't plan on it this time given our conversation last night?"

"I'd prefer to testify against him and send him away for the longest time possible to be honest." She snarled.

Happy knew there was more to her reaction than just being told she had to marry her fiancé to keep her off the witness stand. He'd bet it hadn't been the first time she'd been spoken to like that by her father and he'd bet also it had been much of the reason she'd tried so hard to cut ties with the club.

"So how was breakfast?" Kozik asked with a smirk, lightening the mood.

"There was no breakfast." Kate answered, relieved to see that he didn't appear jealous. "I'm starving." She added.

"C'mon then. Let's go actually grab some. You coming Hap?" Kozik asked.

"Yeah."

* * *

"So what did you two get up to last night?" Kozik asked over his plate of bacon and eggs at the diner they'd gone too.

"I think you know the answer to that." Kate blushed.

"So what does that mean when it comes to Daddy's orders?" He asked.

"It means I have no intention of following them this time. I've been planning on leaving Barry the entire time that I've been here and that's not about to change. Last night when I took his ring off while I was talking to Hap it felt so damn good."

"That's not the only thing that felt good." Happy smirked beside her.

She couldn't help but chuckle beside him as she felt a blush rise over her cheeks. "Damn straight." She said with a smile. She placed her hand on his when he placed it on her thigh.

"So you're headed home for a while then?" Kozik asked.

"Yeah but hopefully I'll be back and not stuck in a loveless marriage to an incarcerated asshole." She said with a sigh.

"So you wanna stay here then?" He asked to which she nodded.

"You know it's weird. I didn't want to come here when all their shit started but now I feel more at ease here than I think I ever did back home. The way you two have looked out for me while I've been here has been so different to the way they handle things back home. In a good way. I mean I can't explain it. I don't know where things are headed for me right now but I feel like there's more for me here than there is back there. Does any of that make sense?" She finished looking to them both for reassurance.

"Perfect sense." Happy answered.

Kozik reached for her hand across the table. "It's gonna be hard to see you go."

She smiled. "I'll be back Koz. It's only a week and I have absolutely no intention of going back to marry that asshole."

"It's not gonna be the same around here without you though Kate." Happy surprised her by saying from beside her. While the sex they'd had the previous night had been amazing he still hadn't admitted to any feelings for her and that so far was as close as he'd come.

"Maybe one of you could come with me?" She said.

"Why?" Happy asked.

"As my protector. My father admitted himself that all their shit isn't sorted out yet. I've certainly felt safer with the two of you than any protection he's ever given me."

Both men exchanged a glance and nodded. Her words made sense.

"Hap had better be the one to go with you then since you've chosen his cock to ride." Kozik responded.

"I'll put it to Lee. See what he says and ultimately it'd be up to your dad I spose." Happy said.

Kate nodded, really hoping that both Lee and her father agreed to it.

* * *

Kate sat alone in the Tacoma clubroom several days later. Her father had only a short time ago arrived back from Charming at which point they had all disappeared into the chapel to discuss what had been decided and no doubt also to discuss her fate.

She had watched Happy disappear through those doors with a massive ache in her loins. They hadn't been together since the first earth shattering night because she didn't want to raise her father's suspicions. Even though he had been in Charming she didn't want word spreading to him of what she was up to while he was sorting out his mess. Happy knew however how much she yearned for him and took every opportunity to fix her with an intense gaze like he was undressing her with his eyes. It went unnoticed by everyone, besides Kozik, who'd begun to smirk at the tables being turned on her.

Her eyes flicked up from her lap as the chapel doors opened to see them all filing out her father among them, his eyes immediately on her.

"Katie? You got a minute?" He asked her.

"Yeah Daddy." She answered drawing in a deep breath not sure what this conversation would entail. "Let's head outside to talk." She said pulling her jacket closer around her.

"It seems these men have become quite invested in your safety since you've been here." Her father began.

"They've only been doing what you asked them to Daddy." Kate answered.

He nodded. "I had no idea that the problems with our charter would have such effect over here. It's been decided both by Tacoma and Charming that one of them will accompany us when we go back."

"Oh? How come?" Kate asked coyly, hoping her father knew nothing of her requesting it of Happy and Kozik.

"It seems that it's what they do. Protect their own, of which I'm told you have always been being that your SOA family, even more so now that I've put you in the position of having them care for you while I couldn't."

"So who's coming with us?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

"The tall bald one, Happy." Her father answered.

Kate gave a small nod, trying hard to hide her smile. "are you okay with that happening Daddy? Him coming with us I mean?"

"I am Kate. Things at home still aren't completely smoothed over and I can't guarantee your protection. The only reason I'm bringing you home for this week is for Jason's memorial and so we can start the ball rolling in regards to you and Barry getting married. It seems they've taken protecting you very seriously over here so I know with Happy being with us I won't need to worry about you."

She nodded again brushing aside his words about the wedding. "Thanks Daddy, for allowing me to come home to say goodbye to him." She said quietly he knew referring to Jason.

"I knew you'd want to Katie. I know how close you two were." He said placing his arm around his daughter's shoulders.

"I miss them so much Daddy."

"I know sweetheart. So do I." He said pulling her close for a moment. "Anyway," he continued refusing to let his emotions get the better of him, "go get packed sweetheart. Our flight leaves early in the morning." He said.

She nodded and rose to head back inside.

Happy cornered her in the hallway and dragged her into her dorm room before she could protest. He pressed her against the door and immediately noticed the lustful spark rising in her eyes.

"So it seems you're coming back to Australia with me Hap." She said in a low lusty tone.

"You're Daddy know about us yet?" He asked, his voice equally low.

She shook her head, "And he can't find out either."

"He won't." He assured her as he ran his hand down between them.

Her breath caught in her throat as he pressed a finger against her through the material of her jeans. "Oh Christ I want you Happy." She murmured.

"I know you do but we both agreed not here." He said quietly, raspily in her ear.

"Then stop teasing me." She moaned as he undid her jeans and slid his hand down and beneath her panties.

"Why you don't like it now the tables are turned?" He asked as he ran his thumb over her clit.

He met her lust filled eyes as she was unable to answer; he knew her pleasure was building quickly and she couldn't speak. He started to pull his hand away.

"Please Hap don't stop." She gasped.

"You want me to continue Little Lady?" He rasped in her ear.

"Aha." She nodded, biting her lip.

"Then you gotta do something for me." He said slowing the way his thumb flicked over her.

"Anything Hap." She moaned as he ran two fingers down over her opening and slid them into her.

"Promise me I'll get the chance to fuck you senseless while we're over there." He rasped.

"Absolutely. I have my own place we can go to." She gasped as he began slide his fingers in and out of her while continuing to flick his thumb across the soft nub of her clit.

"Perfect." He rasped knowing her release was close.

He watched her face crease up as he watched her come, trying desperately not to make a noise; the only sound that escaped her was a tiny gasping whimper at her peak.

"It'd better be soon after we land Little Lady." He murmured in her ear as he slid his fingers from her. She bit her lip and gazed up at him wanting desperately to feel his lips pressed against hers. Instead he fixed her with that intense gaze before reaching behind her and opening the door. He pressed his lips briefly against hers before slipping quietly from the room.

Kate sank to the floor once he'd closed the door, and willed tomorrow and the flight home to come faster.


	13. Chapter 13

13/

 _ **Early January 2007**_

Kate had to admit it felt good stepping off the plane and knowing she was on home soil despite the trepidation she felt at being here and all the lies she was currently living with not telling her father what Happy had become and that she had no intention of marrying Barry, or perhaps even of staying on Australian soil.

She glanced across to Happy who stood at her side not daring to touch her in anyway. He'd gone into full protector mode which as far as her father was aware was the only reason he was with them.

Having cleared customs in Sydney they only needed to collect their bags from the carousel before they could set out on the drive back to Geelong.

"You got a lot more bags than you left with Katie." Her father commented.

"I had to buy some stuff over there. I didn't get the chance to take much with me." She said stealing a glance across at Happy who gave her a slight smirk in return. He pulled a toothpick from his kutte and placed it in his mouth as they waited for her last bag to come around. She glanced across at him again and he flicked his toothpick teasingly he knew getting to her as she pursed her lips together.

"Is my car still at the clubhouse Daddy?" She asked as she reached out for her last bag which Happy wordlessly took from her hand, deliberately letting their fingers touch.

"Yeah it is Katie." Her father answered her as they headed toward the doors that led out to the taxi rank.

"Good because I was thinking I might pick it up and head back to my apartment." She said as they stood outside in the warmer weather of an Australian summer.

"Sure Katie. You know Happy has to go with you right?" He answered her, seemingly distracted.

"Yes, Dad. I'm aware of that." She said stealing a sideways glance at Happy, who flicked his toothpick teasingly at the corner of his mouth.

"Just know though Katie that the cops searched your place when they were looking for intel on Barry."

"What? Why? He never lived there with me!"

"They had to search everywhere that he frequented."

Kate scowled. "Even though it had been a good six months since he'd stepped foot in my place."

"I know Katie but there was nothing we could do about it." He reasoned with her.

Happy stood by watching her agitation rise wanting nothing more than to be able to calm her. She glanced across to him and gave him a small smile, knowing that being here with her he was going to see a side of her that he never had.

* * *

She seemed much more at ease once she slid behind the wheel of her car and turned the keys in the ignition. He watched as she reversed out of the spot beside the clubhouse with such precision that he could tell she'd done it many times.

She pulled out onto the road and drove seemingly relaxed, and growing more so the further away from the clubhouse they got. He watched as she dropped one hand from the wheel and stretched, pushing her head back into her headrest behind her, he could tell at least some part of her was glad to be home.

"So you get to see what life here was like for me." She finally said breaking the silence that had fallen between them as she merged onto the freeway that led back to Melbourne.

"Family's a funny thing. We often don't realize the hell we put our own blood through." He offered in return.

"That's certainly true around here." She sighed.

He placed his hand upon her thigh and she took one hand from the wheel placing it on his. He began stroking his hand up and down her thigh edging it closer to her pussy each time.

"Damn it Hap. Stop that before I'm forced to pull this car over." She chastised him.

"How far is it to your place?" He asked running a finger directly across her.

"About an hour so keep your hands off me!" She chastised again, batting his hand away.

He smirked. "Just get us there in one piece Little Lady."

She glanced across at him and bit her lip at the way his toothpick bobbed at the corner of his mouth. He caught her glance and smirked back.

* * *

"Jesus!" She scowled as she walked through the door of her apartment. "They could have at least come and cleaned it up for me!" She growled looking around at the mess before her.

Knowing she was as neat and meticulous as he was he began helping her tidy up knowing that she wouldn't do anything else before it was done anyway.

She crossed to the kitchen counter and pressed play on the answering machine that sat next to the phone. Several messages began to play as she started clearing up the mess surrounding her.

The voice of a seemingly elderly woman, her voice thick with an Italian accent, _"Katie dear I know it will be sometime before you get this but they won't tell me how else I can contact you. I'm thinking of you sweetheart. Give Nonno and I a call when you can or I hope we'll see you at Jason's funeral. Ciao Bella."_

A raspy middle aged woman's voice, _"Katie. It's Maxine. I learnt of your sudden departure and its circumstances. My condolences darling. I understand you need time and your job is here should you wish to return. I might add you have clients asking after you. Call in when you're back sweetheart."_

And finally a deep, tired, masculine voice, _"Kate surely you're back by now. Please come and see me babe. I miss you and we gotta start making plans for the wedding. Well anyway I should make bail tomorrow so I hope I'll see you soon."_

Happy watched her move about her apartment putting everything back in its place as she listened to the voices from the answering machine lilt across her apartment. He watched the small sad smile at hearing what must be her grandmothers voice, then watched it brighten at hearing she had clients asking after her. He realized he didn't even know what it was she did for a job. He watched her expression fall to a scowl when she heard what must have been Barry's voice. He realized that he was enjoying watching her slowly reveal more of herself to him. It was like adding pieces to a puzzle. He knew in Tacoma she had only revealed what little she wanted to, but being here, the pressure her family placed on her was forcing that carefully composed guard down, and fast.

Once she had put away the last out of place thing he ran his hand along her back being unable to resist her any longer. She turned in his arms and pulled herself up to his lips as he hoisted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. He pressed his lips hard against hers as she pushed his kutte from his shoulders and tossed it over the back of the couch. Her breath caught in her throat as he placed her on the kitchen counter and ran his hand under her top taking her breasts in his hands. He pushed her top up and dropped it onto the counter behind her.

"My bedroom's just down the hallway." She murmured against his lips.

He nodded lifting her into his arms again and carrying her in to her room his lips pressed against her neck. She sighed as she spied the contents of her wardrobe and drawers scattered across the room. Happy dropped her onto the bed and looked about him at the lingerie and skimpy costumes that surrounded them.

"What the fuck Katie?" He said picking up a tiny plaid school girls skirt, with lust dancing through his dark eyes.

She smiled and gave him a lusty smirk. "Did I forget to tell that I'm a waitress at a gentlemen's club?"

He raised his eyebrows at her. "You're taking some of this stuff back to the states with you baby." He rasped in her ear as he tossed the skirt aside and pushed her back onto the bed wasting no time pulling the rest of her clothes off, leaving her bra and matching panties on.

He met her lips and bit her bottom one hard, this new piece of her puzzle igniting his desire for her. Heat and lust blazed through his veins and couldn't get enough of her as he kissed, licked and bit a trail down her neck to her breasts, still covered in a fine layer of lace. He unclipped her bra and slid it down her arms as he circled the tip of his tongue around her nipple before nipping it hard between his teeth, and soothing it with his lips.

She moaned beneath him as she moved to pull his shirt off over his head but he pushed her hands away, pinning them to the bed as he continued his trail down her body, across the flat of her stomach to her hips and then to her thighs. He slid her brief lace panties down her hips and flicked them off at her ankles. She gasped as she felt the tip of his tongue slide over her opening and up across her clit.

"Oh god," she moaned as he drew the swollen nub of her clit into his mouth and sucked it hard. She pressed her head back into the mattress breathing hard as his tongue lapped greedily at her pussy bringing her closer and closer to her release. "Oh Christ Happy," she gasped as he plunged his tongue deep into her and flicked it inside her. She felt her insides burning closer to her release as he pressed his thumb against her clit and began rubbing it.

"Oh my God Hap," She squealed her voice high pitched as his actions tipped her over the edge, making her come, spilling her sweetness across his tongue.

She gasped as he slid his tongue from her, her insides still sensitive as the warmth of her orgasm continued to burn.

"You taste fucking amazing Little Lady." He said licking his lips as he prowled over her.

She bit her lip still coming down. "I need you naked and inside me Hap." She gasped breathily at him.

He pressed his lips against hers, making her taste herself before rising up and peeling his shirt off over his head and bringing her hand up to his belt buckle. She wasted no time in undoing it and his fly and pushing his jeans and boxers down his hips. He kicked them off at the end of the bed and lay over her pressing his lips against hers once more.

"You got condoms?" he asked drawing his lips away.

She bit her lip and nodded breathily, "In the drawer there." She said motioning to the bedside drawer beside her. He opened it and was surprised to find quite a large stock of varying sizes alongside quite a collection of sex toys. It seemed young Katie was quite in tune with herself and her sexuality. He pulled a condom out with a smirk and tore the packaging open with his teeth before rolling it down his rock hard length.

"You're bringing all those toys back with us to Tacoma too, babe." He said as he lay over her giving her no time to reply before pressing into her, loving her delicious gasping moan beneath him, still incredulous as to how tight she was. She clawed at his shoulders as every sense was reminded of what he felt like inside her, hitting deeper than anyone had before.

He pressed his lips against hers as he drove himself deeper into her. She placed her hand against his ass, loving the feeling of it rippling beneath her fingers as his hips rolled against her. He pressed his tongue against hers, upon which she could still slightly taste herself. She moaned into his mouth as he pressed his hand bruisingly down across her hip.

She allowed him to press hard into her, the slow rhythmic pace he was setting, warming her insides, electrifying her veins and building the fire that burnt inside her.

He began to groan on top of her, her tightness forcing his climax to build quickly. She dug her nails deep into the flesh of his ass and at the back of his neck as she burnt ever so close to what she knew was going to be an overwhelming orgasm.

"Come with me Katie." He gasped meeting her gaze.

She barely managed a nod as her eyes began to roll back in her head and her moans became loud and high pitched. "Oh god Happy! Oh god! Oh god!" she screamed at the fireworks going off inside her as he grunted through his own release.

She moaned as he slid from her, still coming down, as he rolled gasping to the bed beside her.

"There you go Hap. You just fucked me senseless." She said as she rolled to her side to face him, her eyes glazed and her voice slightly breathless.

He grinned, his dark eyes glazed over with his own ecstasy. "Why you got so many condoms?" he asked.

"I like to be prepared. My line of work kind of lends itself to the occasional one night stand."

He nodded. "I can see how. I'd certainly want more than a beer from you if you were serving me wearing this." He said picking up a black and red lace pair of panties from the bed beside him.

She grinned a wicked grin at him and bit her lip. "I should tell you Hap, before I left here, the place that I work at, I was starting to move from just waitressing to stripping."

"I'm the only one you'll be stripping for now baby." He said rolling over her, and trailing his fingers through her hair as he pressed his lips against hers again.

He reached down between them and pulled the used condom from his dick before reaching into the drawer for another ready for round two.

* * *

A loud knock sounded against her front door as they lay on her bed together still panting. "Shit!" she swore.

She knew instantly who that knock belonged to. She pulled herself up off the bed and out of his arms and went to the bathroom to grab a towel that she placed around herself. "Get dressed." She said to him as she left the room closing the door over.

She walked to her front door and opened it just as Wombat was about to bang his fist against it again.

"To what do I owe the pleasure Wombat." She asked.

"Your dad sent me over." He said eyeing her in just the towel and looking around her apartment.

"Of course he did." She scowled.

"You got someone else here Katie?" He asked seeing Happy's kutte laying on the back of the couch.

 _Shit!_ She swore to herself.

"Just Happy. The guy who was watching me in Tacoma." She answered

"Oh yeah. Your dad mentioned that they insisted he come out here with ya." He said letting himself in. She didn't miss the suspicious scowl he cast her way as he did so.

"If you don't mind Wombat I was just about to take a shower." She said as Happy casually walked out and picked up his kutte and shrugged it on.

"Happy this is Wombat." Kate said. "Wombat, Happy." She continued the introductions, watching Wombat eye Happy suspiciously. "Now if you don't mind I'm gonna go take that shower." She said excusing herself from the room, holding her breath.

She let her breath out as she closed the bedroom door behind her. Her eyes rested upon the mess of sheets on her bed and she breathed in the smell of sex. Oh dear god she hoped Wombat remained clueless despite the suspicion she could see all over his face. She crossed to the bathroom and flicked on the shower, opting for a quick rinse off so she could get back to the lounge room before anything started between the two men that sat in it.

"So why are you here Wombat?" she asked entering the room again a short time later, breaking the uncomfortable silence, her hair still damp and her skin rosy pink.

"Your dad wants me to take you out to see Barry." Wombat answered gruffly.

"For fuck's sake. I'll go see Barry when I'm ready to fuckin go see Barry." She snapped.

"He said you'd say that. That's why he ordered me to make you."

"Oh yeah and how are you going to do that?" She asked casting her eyes at Happy who was growing agitated on the couch across from the other man.

"Orders are orders Katie. Don't make this harder." Wombat said gruffly clearly feeling threatened by the Tacoma muscle sitting across from him.

"I don't give a flying fuck what orders you've been given Wombat." Kate growled, completely losing any composure that still remained and flying off the handle at him. "I'm fucking done with this family ordering me around and telling me what to fucking do with my life. Where the hell did following orders leave Mum and Ivy? And Jason?"

"Katie …" Wombat tried to interrupt her.

"Do you remember why I moved here Wombat? To get the fuck away from the club. To get the fuck away from all the bullshit you guys spark up every fucking day! You reckon you're all high and mighty and doing what's best for us all but do you know what? I felt safer this last month than have in years Wombat!"

"That's because we got you away from it all." He answered her, trying hard to keep his own composure and not bite back at her words.

"Maybe that's what it was to begin with but you know what it is now? People cared for me and what I wanted rather than controlling me first."

"Found another cock to keep you satisfied to it seems." Wombat spat back unable to hold back anymore.

"Get the fuck out of my house Wombat!" She growled.

"Don't think that your Daddy isn't going to figure out the real reason you wanted Tacoma muscle here." He said to her in a low menacing voice, alluding to his intention of telling his President just what was going on between his little princess and the man who'd been sent across to help protect her.

"You tell him Wombat and I'll let him know just how closely you guarded his wife all those years." She growled, watching his face drop. "That's right Wombat. I know exactly what you and my mother had going on the side." She continued to growl. "Now get the fuck out of my house and tell my father that I will see Barry on my terms and my terms only. I will not be ordered around or controlled anymore."

Wombat took a step back toward the door casting his eye across to Happy briefly as he did so. The tall, bald, heavily tattooed man in front of him had such a domineering presence that he didn't wish to mess with. He questioned Kate's interest in him but said nothing. He saw that sending Princess Kate across to the other side of the world had been a mistake. The independence and distance she had been trying to achieve before leaving had been one thing but the fearlessness of the young woman that stood in front of him now was completely another. He knew a part of her confidence came from the Tacoma muscle standing behind her and she would never previously have spoken so far out of line.

"I'll give him your message Katie but you know he's not going to like it." Wombat said leaving an unspoken threat in the air between them as he backed through the doorway before Kate slammed it behind him.

"You know you spoke massively out of line then?" Happy asked from behind her.

She turned from the door. "I don't care anymore Hap. I'm done with the way they try to control me." She said fighting back tears of anger and frustration.

"I get that Katie but they're not going to let that go." Happy said warningly.

"I know but look Hap, I can handle my dad and anything that comes from what I just said to Wombat." She answered him with a sigh, sinking down onto her couch.

"Just remember I might be here to protect you but it's not my place to come between you and your father or his club." He said sitting down in the armchair opposite her.

She nodded. "I'll try to behave, but he's not going to like the outcome of this week when it's at its end."

He nodded slowly at her words. "So long as I can take you back to Kozik in one piece we're all good."

She looked questioningly at him.

"Despite your choice Kate, he still cares deeply for you." Happy answered her.

She sighed knowing Happy's words were true and knowing also that she still couldn't quite wipe the other Tacoma biker from her mind. She looked up at Happy and knew he could see she was still torn between the two of them.

"I need to head into work and talk to my boss. You wanna come?" She asked with a sigh.

He gave her a smirk as he looked her up and down, back in the summery clothes he'd first met her in; skimpy cut off denim shorts and a barely there tank top. "I hope it's to hand in your resignation." He said with a smirk.

She gave him a small smile. "Yeah more than likely if you can guarantee me that I'm welcome back in Tacoma."

"You know Koz and I don't want you to return here permanently." He said seriously.

"Thanks Hap. I just needed to hear you say it. C'mon let's go." She said rising and heading to the door.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so much for your continued support and reviews on this story. I love reading them. Please review and let me know what you think of this latest chapter!**


	14. Chapter 14

14/

After only a short drive through city streets, Kate pulled her car to a stop at the side of the road outside a building with large blacked out windows and a huge elegant looking door.

"This where you work?" Happy asked.

"Aha." She nodded. "You can stay in the car if you want. I won't be long."

"Nah. I'll come in with ya." He said

"Okay, but it's not opening hours so everyone inside will be dressed." She said with a grin.

"I'm not here for the entertainment Kate." He said with a smirk as he followed her to the door.

She pushed it in and was immediately greeted by a small, busty brunette. "Katie! Where have you been honey?" She asked as she embraced her.

"I've had some personal stuff to take care of Candy." Kate explained to the girl as she loosened her embrace.

"And who is this fine specimen of a man?" Candy asked looking behind Kate to where Happy stood, his arms crossed over his chest and his sunglasses pushed up onto his bald head.

Kate smiled at the other girl's obvious perusal of him.

"This is Happy. He's a friend. Is Maxine about, hon?" She asked as Candy continued to unsubtly look Happy up and down.

"Yeah she's out the back."

"Thanks Candy." Kate said moving across the lavish room they were in to a door at the back.

"This place looks like a brothel Katie." Happy said as he followed her down a dimly lit hallway.

"It kind of is Hap. Maxine runs the restaurant which is essentially a gentleman's club and she also runs an escort business on the side."

"You ever been involved in that?"

"Escorting? No." She said as she pushed open a door at the end of the hallway which opened into a lavishly decorated room, ornate chandeliers hung from the ceilings and red velvet sofas sat around it.

A middle aged, yet still very attractive brunette woman spied Kate as soon as she entered.

"Katie, hello honey." She said moving toward them, the long tresses of her brunette hair falling about the sides of her face. She placed one arm around Kate's shoulders and pulled her close, kissing her cheek. "How are you doing sweetheart?" She asked gently.

"I'm doing okay Maxine." Kate said.

"And who is this you've brought with you?" Maxine asked casting a curious and perusing look at Happy where he stood behind Kate.

Kate sighed. "This is Happy."

"And how did you meet?" Maxine asked noting Happy's protective stance over the young girl she'd come to care about.

"It's kind of a long story but he's been looking out for me while I was away and well …."

"You've sampled the goods?" Maxine asked with a knowing grin.

Kate smiled. "Yeah."

"Come sweetheart tell me what's been going on." Maxine said leading her over to one of the sofas while Happy awkwardly sat opposite them. "Your brother stopped by a few weeks ago to let me know you wouldn't be in for a while."

"Jason did that?" Kate asked incredulous.

"Yes he did. He told me what happened to your mother and sister. I'm so sorry Katie." Maxine said placing her hand on her shoulder.

Kate fought back the tears at the corners of her eyes. "He's dead now too."

"Oh Kate! How?"

"He was shot. I'm told he died instantly." Kate answered her, keeping her voice even and devoid of emotion. Happy could tell she was placing walls up around herself again and seemingly Maxine could too.

"Katie, I'll be honest with you. All of the girls here have experienced hardship or have come from very broken backgrounds. In a lot of ways, you were always the exception to that. You were strong and confident when you started here. I didn't need to primp your ego and build you up. Hell I could have put you out on the floor your first day here and told you to put on the best show this place has ever seen and you'd have done it. But every girl here came for a fresh start and I know you were no exception to that. I know you started working here to break away from what your family expected of you. Take all the time you need to deal with this Katie and you're welcome back here at any time."

"I'm not sure that I'll be coming back here to work actually Max. I've been living in America for this past month while everything with my family gets sorted and I'm actually thinking of moving there permanently."

"It will be sad letting you go Kate but I understand you need to do what's best for you."

"In a lot of ways it seems the perfect way to achieve the distance the club that I've always sought."

Maxine nodded, knowing of Kate's background. "And I'm guessing Happy has something to do with that choice too?"

Kate couldn't help but blush, "Something." She said. "Thanks for being so understanding Max."

"You know I'm always looking out for what's best for you girls. If I'm not looking out for my girls, then I'm failing my clientele."

Kate smiled. "Thanks Max."

"Wait here a moment Kate." Maxine said moving from the couch and to her office at the back of the room they were in.

She returned a short time later with an envelope Kate knew would be filled with cash. "You're last two weeks' pay from before you left and a severance bonus. I wish you all the best sweetheart in whatever you decide to do." Maxine said, placing the envelope in Kate's hand and drawing her close.

"Thank you Max."

* * *

Happy let out a low whistle as he flicked through the wad of colored notes in the envelope Kate threw onto his lap as she got into the car.

"I made good money there Hap." She commented seeing the surprised look on his face.

"My oath you did. The green ones are hundreds right?" He asked, unfamiliar with the currency.

Kate nodded. "And the yellowy ones are fifties."

"There's gotta be close to five grand in here Kate." Happy said still flicking the notes through his fingers.

"Yeah probably." Kate said glancing distracted at the time display on her dash. "I should go see Barry." She said as she turned the key in the ignition.

"Chances are they won't let you in looking like that." He said looking her up and down.

"No shit." She said with a smirk. "That's why I'm going home to change first. I need to call dad and find out where he is too."

"Good luck with that if Wombat's gotten to him."

"I can handle my father and Wombat isn't likely to mention anything that's been going on with you. I was serious about him and my mother. They'd been sleeping together for years whenever my dad was out of town."

Happy nodded as she pulled up outside her apartment building once again. "I'll be right back." She said sliding from the car to head inside to change from her shorts and low cut top into something a little more conservative.

She pulled out her phone as she headed back to her car dressed in jeans and a button down sleeveless blouse, its pale blue color highlighting her eyes.

"Hi Dad. I need to know what prison Barry is in." She said down the line as she slid back behind the steering wheel of her car.

"I told Wombat that I would go see him when I want to not when you all tell me to."

"No Dad. I won't be ordered around anymore. So where is he?"

"Barwon Prison. Okay. And I'm registered to be able to visit him?"

"Dad, I don't want to come past the clubhouse after."

She sighed. "Okay fine. I will then."

She tossed her phone into Happy's lap as she turned the key in the ignition. "It seems we're going past the clubhouse on our way home. Dad said it has something to do with planning Jason's memorial but more than likely it's so he can lay into me about how I spoke to Wombat."

"I know you hate the position they're putting you in Kate but you gotta watch your mouth."

"Why the hell should I Hap? They've never given a shit how they speak to me."

"An old lady isn't meant to speak out of line like that Katie."

"I'm not anyone's old lady Hap and I never intend to be."

"Not even mine?" He asked.

She did a double take, taking her eyes off the road momentarily to look at him. "You want me to be?"

"I think we've both established that we're good together."

"In the bedroom yes."

"You can't tell me you would have had the guts to stand up to Wombat like that had I not been standing behind you."

"Probably not, but that doesn't make me your old lady."

"Look Katie you've already noticed that we do things differently in the states. There is no way in hell I wouldn't be with you 24/7 if there'd been a death threat issued against you. Leaving family, old ladies, whatever unprotected is never something we do."

"Wait where is this conversation going Hap? You started out telling me an old lady shouldn't speak out of line and now your inferring that if I were your old lady you'd always protect me. Are you asking me to be your old lady Hap?"

"It's more than just the sex Kate. I care about you and I think you've realized that."

"Yeah I have." She said glancing across to him again. "So you want Barry's name off my hip?"

"Ultimately that's your decision, but I sure don't like seeing it there especially for the way it's scarred your skin."

Kate sighed. "I want it gone Hap. The sooner you can cover it up the better."

"Assuming you come back to the states with me I'll get to it as soon as we're back." He said watching her drive.

"I'll be going back. I can assure you of that." She said with a smile as she glanced over to him again. She caught the way he coyly tried to hide his satisfaction at her words.

"I've been thinking; it's going to have to be pretty dark to cover the blackness of those lines."

"I have no problem with that Hap."

"The eyes will have to be nearly black and it'll probably be bigger than you're thinking." He continued.

"I trust you to do whatever needs to be done to cover it Hap." She said as she pulled into the parking lot of Barwon Prison. "Speaking of, time to go deal with its reason for being there." She said with a sigh.

"You want me to come in?" he asked.

"It's probably better that you don't and besides I doubt they'll let you in if you're not on the list of approved visitors."

He nodded. "Good luck."

"Thanks I think." She said flashing him a half smile as she slid from the car. He watched the swagger of her hips as she walked toward the gate and waited to be let in. he had to admit she'd gotten under his skin and into his head far more than he had ever imagined she would.

* * *

"Katie! I was beginning to think you weren't going to visit." Barry greeted her as he was led into the visitation room. He rounded the side of the table and placed his arms around her. He felt how tense she was immediately and stepped back. "Are you okay?" He asked watching her take a seat in front of him as he took his own.

"Yeah I'm good Barry."

"You look well Katie. They did look out for you pretty well over there."

"Yeah they did."

"My bail hearing is tomorrow."

"Yeah Dad said. So you're expected to make bail?"

"Sure am cherub. I can't wait to be out of here and in your arms babe."

Kate sighed. "Look Barry that's not going to happen."

"What do you mean it's not going to happen Katie? Your dad told you we have to get married soon right?"

"I can't marry you Barry."

"What? Katie, you have to or they'll make you testify against me."

"No Barry. I don't have to. It's what Dad and the club want me to do but I can't. If you get convicted, you'll be inside for at least seven years Barry. I am not going to be a prison widow."

"Katie it's for the best. It keeps you off the stand and it's what you've always wanted."

"No Barry. It's not what I've always wanted, at least not anymore."

"Your ring's gone." He said noticing her left hand that she made no move to hide.

"Yes it is. I don't want to marry you Barry. I realized while I was overseas that I don't love you. I can't marry you if I don't love you."

"C'mon Katie are you for real? You always came back before."

"Not this time. Being away has made me realize that what I had with you wasn't love Barry. It was control; I was young when we got together and maybe it was that element of control that you had over me that made things exciting but as I've gotten older it's just been stifling instead."

"I can change babe."

"Do you have any idea how many times I've heard that Barry? You never have before and we know you're not going to now. The club has always come first and I don't want to fit into that world anymore and I especially don't want to do it while you're in prison for seven years."

"Katie, I love you."

"I know you do Barry. That's why you're not going to make me go through with this. If you love me, you'll let me go." She said quietly and almost pleadingly as she watched his knuckles whiten with the grip he had on the table.

"Look Katie, I'll be out tomorrow and we can talk about this then. It'll be different once I'm out."

"No it won't be different. I mean it Barry. Please just listen to what I'm saying. I can't spend all those years married to you while you're inside. That's not a marriage."

"Is there someone else?" He asked suddenly.

"It doesn't matter if there is. I made this decision long before you got arrested Barry."

"So there is someone else. You've been getting it on with an American Son haven't you?"

"I said it doesn't matter Barry."

"It does when you've been cheating on me." He snarled.

"Oh like you can preach to me about cheating on you!" She scoffed.

"Look I know I stuffed up and many times Katie but I never expected you'd do the same."

"I don't see it as stuffing up Barry. I see it as finding out where I'm supposed to be."

"Katie, wait till I'm out tomorrow. We can make this work. I'll make you happy."

"I haven't been happy for a long time Barry."

"Let me fix that Katie."

"Not this time Barry. It's over this time."

He nodded seeing how serious she was. "I hope then Katie that whoever he is he's able to bring a smile back to your face."

"Thanks Barry." She said giving him a slight smile.

"Your smile is beautiful Kate." He said reaching across and taking her hand in his. "I guess I'll see you at Jason's funeral."

"Yeah. I guess so." She said nodding sadly.

"I'm sorry Kate. Things should never have gotten this bad."

"No they shouldn't have Barry."

"You know that if we're not married you're likely to be called as a witness in my trial?"

"I'll cross that bridge when I have to Barry." She said quietly.

He nodded.

"I have to go Barry. I'll see you in a couple of days."

"Yeah. Bye Katie."

"Bye Barry."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: So another update relatively quickly. Thank you so much for your reviews - they are helping to spur this story on! I also just want to clarify something from the last chapter. Happy is not putting a crow on Kate. The tattoo of which they spoke is the skull and flowers cover up she wanted to cover Barry's name tattooed on her hip. there may or may not be a crow in Kate's future ...**

* * *

15/

Kate's mood had dropped considerably by the time she returned to her car half an hour later.

"I'm guessing things didn't go so well?" Happy asked as she turned the key in the ignition.

"I'm not sure. It all seemed a little too easy." She answered reflectively.

"So he accepted that you're not gonna marry him?"

"Yeah it seems so. I had to talk him around a fair bit but then he finished with saying he hoped whoever I was with now made me happy."

"You told him about us?"

"Not directly but he guessed and I suppose I just didn't deny it."

"And he was okay with it?"

"That's just it. He seemed to be which doesn't make sense because he has always been insanely jealous of any other guy that comes near me, especially the one night stands."

"You think he'll try anything once he's out?"

"I don't know Hap. He's never physically hurt me before but I wouldn't put it past him."

"Don't worry Katie. That's why I'm here."

She smiled a small smile at him. "Thanks Hap. Let's go face the music of my father's clubhouse." She said sarcastically as she pulled her car out of the parking lot.

* * *

She had barely pulled her car to a stop before her father came barreling out the clubhouse door toward her.

"Shit. This isn't going to be pretty." She said quietly to Happy before opening her door and sliding from the car.

He got out of her car and stood back watching her father's obvious fury boil.

"Where the hell do you get off speaking to Wombat like that Katelyn?" He growled, raising his voice louder than she'd ever heard it directed toward her before.

"I told him that I would go and see Barry on my own terms, which I might add I have now done." She answered calmly.

"Next time you will follow orders and do as I say and you will not dare to speak to a member of this club in that way ever again." he growled menacingly at her.

"If I'm angry about the way you or anyone else is treating me Daddy then I will let you know. I'm not a child anymore and I don't appreciate being treated like one."

"Asking you to follow simple orders to keep you safe is not treating you like a child. You owe your life to the Sons of Anarchy and I will have you show some respect for that."

"Yes Daddy I do owe my life to the sons but no thanks to you and this joke of a charter. The only Sons I owe my life to are the ones who looked out for me overseas."

"Your loyalty is misplaced Katelyn. You will do your bit to save this club from being shut down. I've been given six months to rebuild this club before Charming pulls the pin."

"That's your own stupid fault. I've made it very clear in the past that I want nothing to do with it."

"Katelyn Grazer you were raised within the walls of this club and those within it are the only family you have left. You will do what is in the best interests of this club and you will not show its members such disrespect."

"This club is not my family Daddy. My family is dead because of your precious club."

"The club did everything we could to keep them safe Kate."

"No Daddy, the club is the very reason they are dead. If you'd taken your head out your own ass long enough you'd see that!" She spat and immediately felt the sting of her father's hand across her cheek.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she raised her own hand to her cheek. "You will not speak to me like that again Katelyn and if you do you'll have more to worry about than my handprint across your face." He growled menacingly. "Go get your act together before your brother's funeral tomorrow." He said turning and heading back into the clubhouse.

She stood still in shock that her father had struck her and felt the soft touch of Happy's hand on her back. "C'mon Katie, let's get out of here."

She nodded and allowed him to lead her back to her car. "You want me to drive?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm okay." She said opening the driver's side door and pulling out her keys.

"Are you really?" He asked.

"Yes Hap. I'm fine. He's just never hit me before." She said shrugging his hand from her shoulder and sliding into the car.

"Why didn't you tell me Charming is going to shut this charter down?" She asked as he slid into the passenger seat.

"Club business. You'll find I won't discuss it with you much."

"I think that's something I probably should have known."

"Maybe but it's your father's place to tell you, not mine."

She looked across at him and sighed not wanting to pick a fight. "Do you think his need to get the club back up is another reason why he's so hell bent on me marrying Barry?" She asked.

"Maybe but you'll be back in Tacoma before that can happen."

"I hope so." She said quietly beginning to doubt that she was going to be able to get out of it.

"I'm not going to let it happen okay?" He said placing his hand on her leg.

"I thought you said you couldn't come between me and my family?"

"I will if I have to Kate. Now take us somewhere we can get something to eat." He said watching dusk begin to creep across the sky.

* * *

Kate sighed as she unlocked the door to her apartment later that evening.

"You knew this week was never going to be easy Kate." Happy said from behind her.

"I know. I was never anticipating my father making things harder though. He doesn't even know that I called things off with Barry yet Hap. Shit's really gonna hit the fan when he does."

"I suspect it'll hit it even more when he learns about me."

"That's why I'm hoping he won't. I doubt he'll let me leave the country if he does." She said crossing to a cupboard in the hallway.

"You don't think Wombat will spill?" He asked.

"Nah. More than likely Barry will figure out it must be you which is why you need to keep your distance from me at the funeral tomorrow."

"I'm not leaving you unguarded Kate, especially if you think they'll hurt you."

"They won't do anything in public Hap and especially not in front of my grandparents who'll be there."

He nodded watching her spread a sheet over the couch. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"Making up a bed for you on my couch."

"I think we both know I won't be sleeping in it." He smirked.

"I didn't say you would," she smirked back, "but I'd prefer to keep up the pretense that we're not sleeping together should anyone stop by unexpectedly." She said as she tossed a pillow at one end and a blanket at the other before sitting down and flicking on the TV.

"Now what are you doing?" He asked her.

"Making it look slept in." She answered him with that sassy princess wit he'd come to expect from her.

He smirked. "You got any beer?"

"Yeah there should be some in the fridge." She answered him as she flicked channels.

"You want one?" He asked entering the kitchen.

"Nah I'm right thanks Hap." She answered.

"What the hell is this shit?" He asked motioning to the TV as he sat beside her.

"Neighbours." She answered.

"And that is?" He asked eyeing the screen.

"An Australian soap that's been going for about twenty years."

He scoffed. "I didn't take you for a soapy fan Kate."

She smiled peeling her eyes away from the screen and taking his beer from his hand to take a swig. "I'm not really. It's just so far removed from my own life it's a nice distraction sometimes. Here, change the channel if you want. I'm gonna go take a shower." She said passing him the remote along with his beer back.

He grinned when she returned to the room a short while later, hair damp and dressed in a skimpy school girls costume. "Well hey there." He said as she stood in front of him and ran her hand down the back of his head.

"Hey." She said loosening the tie at her neck and pulling it slowly off.

She watched his eyebrows raise and a slight smirk creep to the corner of his mouth as she placed the tie behind his neck and pulled his face towards her breasts as she straddled him. She ground herself against his belt buckle as he placed his hands on her hips.

She'd had every intention of not letting him touch her but once the roughness of his hands gripped the round of her ass beneath her short skirt she lost all composure and pressed her lips hard against his.

He kissed her back before pushing her out of his arms. "Strip for me Katie." He rasped watching her begin a slow and tantalizing strip tease in front of him. She undid the knot of her tied top with one finger and slowly revealed her breasts to him and shrugged it off her shoulders and let it drop to the floor behind her.

She watched his eyes darken as she rolled her nipple between her fingers, her lip caught hard between her teeth. She dropped her hands to her hips and teasingly toyed with the clasp that held her skirt together. "Take it off baby." He rasped as she unclipped the clasp and let it fall from her hips as she lowered herself to his lap once more turning her strip tease into a lap dance.

She ground herself against him and allowed him to unhook her bra as she pushed his kutte from his shoulders. He slid her bra down her arms and took one nipple into his mouth while he cupped his hand around her other breast and rolled the nipple between his fingers. She ran her hand up under his shirt desperate to feel his flesh against hers. She pushed it over his head and moaned as he stood lifting her with him, his hand gripping tight to her ass.

She pressed her lips against his as he carried her to the bedroom and placed her on the bed. "You're turn." She murmured as she pushed him from her and watched his hand go to his belt. She watched as he pushed his low slung jeans down his hips, leaving his boxers in place. She couldn't help herself when she moved forward, pushed his boxers down his hips and took his semi hard cock into her mouth.

"Holy fuck, Kate." He moaned as he hardened in her mouth while she ran her tongue down his shaft. She settled herself comfortably on the edge of the bed and gripped his ass pushing him deep into her throat. It didn't take her long to get him to a point that he could hold out no longer. She ran her tongue over his balls and back up his shaft as he spilled into her mouth. He groaned as she sucked every last drop from him.

"Jesus Christ, you're good at that." He rasped as she looked up at him from beneath her long lashes, her eyes bright and sparkling with lust. He pushed her back against the bed and prowled over her licking and kissing a trail up her body. She gasped as he closed his teeth around her nipple and moaned as he worked her body, knowing he was also readying himself to be able to go again.

She gasped breathily as he brought her mouth to his, his tongue sliding between her lips. She felt him growing hard between her thighs as he reached into her drawer to pull out a condom. He pulled away briefly to slide it on and then wasted no time in pressing into her. She let out a small whimpering gasp still not accustomed to how big he was. Her gasps turned to pleasure as he set a slow, steady pace that he knew would tip her quickly over the edge.

"Oh Christ Happy!" She moaned as her insides burned to their climax. He followed soon after her with a grunt.

No sooner had he slid from her when a hard demanding knock sounded against her front door. "Open this fucking door Katie." Her father's voice bellowed through it.

"Fuck!" She swore as she scrambled out from under Happy. "Get some fucking clothes on." She added as she scrambled to do the same.

* * *

 **A/N: And I'm going to leave you all hanging ... Please review and let me know what you're thinking ...**


	16. Chapter 16

16/

Happy watched her pull on a pair of pajama pants and a low cut tank top as he pulled on his boxers and headed to the lounge room for his shirt. He pulled it over his head as Kate made her way to her front door where her father's insistent knocking continued.

She took a deep breath and opened it as Happy kicked her lingerie under the couch. Her father wasted no time bursting into her apartment with Wombat close on his heels.

"What took you so long opening the door?" Len Grazer demanded of his daughter.

"I was asleep Dad." She said hugging her arms across her chest. "It's what normal people do at this time of night." She answered feeling grateful that Happy had unfolded the blanket she'd placed on the couch, making it look crumpled and slept on.

She glanced at Wombat who stared at her suspiciously. She quickly shut him down with her own threatening glare back. She also didn't fail to notice the new VP patch on his kutte.

"When were you planning on telling me you called things off with Barry?" Her father asked as he stepped forward and took her chin in his hand.

"I was going to after the funeral Daddy." She answered, grimacing at his grip on her. She caught sight of Happy standing guarded by the couch, she could tell holding himself back from coming to her aid.

"Bullshit Kate." He said dropping his hand from her face.

"I swear Daddy. I was going to tell you. I just wanted to get through tomorrow first."

"You're determined to bring this club down aren't you?" He growled menacingly at her.

"No Dad I'm not. I just want no part in it. I will not marry someone I no longer love or someone that is more than likely going to be in prison for close to a decade." She answered calmly for which Happy had to give her credit. She was right when she said she could handle her father, just so long as she kept her emotions out of it.

"Is that the only reason?" He asked with a very pointed sideways glance at Happy, who stood his face devoid of any emotion.

"Yes Daddy it is." She answered quietly, her voice never wavering or giving her away.

He studied his daughter long and hard before he spoke again."If I find out otherwise that there is any other reason that you are refusing to marry him Katelyn, there will be hell to pay." He said in a low menacing tone. "Is that understood?"

"Yes Dad."

"This conversation isn't over Kate." he said as he made his way to the door. "We will be discussing it tomorrow when Barry is out. Rethink your stance on this Kate and remember everything that he has done for you not only over the past eight years but your entire life. Your protection has always been paramount to him. Not only do you owe it to him to become his wife, you need to make the right decision for the club." He said as he opened the door.

"It's not going to happen Dad." She said resolutely one more time.

"It will Kate. You will step up and do what is right for this family." He said pointedly as he stepped backwards through the door.

Wombat followed raising his eyebrows at Katie before he too left her apartment.

Kate waited until she was sure they'd descended the stairs that led up to her door before she allowed herself to crumple to the floor. Happy stepped around the couch and sank to the floor beside her.

"That was too close Hap." She said looking up at him.

He nodded in agreement as he placed his hand on her cheek. "You alright?" He asked.

"Yes. I'm fine." She answered taking his hand in hers and removing it from her cheek. "But you absolutely have to keep your distance from me tomorrow and we can not be together again while we're here."

"Kate," he began.

"No Hap. We can't. If he gets any confirmation of what he already clearly suspects he probably won't let me leave. As long as we can get back to the states as planned, I can figure out a way to stay there."

"I don't like this Kate." He said.

"I don't either but tomorrow, be my protector, nothing else."

He nodded slowly at her words.

"And no fucking toothpick!" She added with a smirk.

* * *

Kate sat in the front pew of St Mary's Basilica, nestled between her grandparents as the words her father spoke in his eulogy washed over her. He didn't speak of Jason in the way that she knew him. No one had known him the way she had. She looked over at the photo that sat on his casket, his smile beaming out at her, as always wide enough to brighten the darkest of days. She dabbed a tissue to corner of her eyes as her fathers words concluded and the priest in all his robes and over the top garb took over.

She watched as her father stood in front of Jason's casket and blessed himself with the sign of the cross before returning to his seat. The irony and hypocrisy of her families staunch following of Catholicism was never lost on her. They'd pray to their God for forgiveness and then just as soon turn around and kill somebody else, as was the case with most of the families embroiled in the Victorian crime underworld.

She finally felt at ease sitting between her grandparents, as she had insisted on doing at the beginning of the ceremony and she took comfort in knowing Happy was seated directly behind her, even though she didn't dare turn to him. She knew that how firm she had been in her insistence had sent alarm bells of in her grandmother's mind. Her Nonna, Magdelena's mother had always been her main confidant aside from Jason and she knew she could rely on her for support and advice through the difficult situation she was being placed in.

Kate stood and stepped forward to take Jason's photo from his casket before it was carried from the church. She hugged it to her as she followed along behind, her head resting upon her Nonna's shoulder, the woman's arm around her shoulders as the rest of the congregation followed along behind them. Kate sensed Happy's presence behind her as she walked down the huge blue stone steps toward the waiting hearse.

She watched as the casket was loaded into the hearse, her father and Wombat standing guard. She recoiled noticeably as Barry who had gotten out that morning approached her.

"Hey Cherub. How you doing?" he asked as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Please don't call me that Barry." she answered as she shrugged his hand off her shoulder.

"Please don't make a scene Katie," he said as he led her away from her grandparents a little.

"Then don't act like I didn't break things off with you yesterday. No matter the circumstances and no matter what my father insists on it is over this time Barry." she said resolutely.

She caught Happy's tense stance out of the corner of her eye as Barry lent toward her and placed a kiss on her forehead. "We'll see about that Cherub." Barry said as he stepped away.

Kate said nothing in return, only took a deep breath and turned back toward her Nonna, rather than toward her father who stood expectantly waiting for her to join him at the funeral car that was to drive them to the cemetery.

"Nonna, could Happy and I drive with you and Nonno to the cemetery?" She asked quietly.

"Of course Katie." She answered with a glance toward the tall, domineering American man that had barely left her grand daughters side. She knew there was something bubbling away beneath the surface of the family her only and now deceased daughter had married into. "Come; our car is over this way. Nonno will tell your father you're coming with us." She said linking arms with her granddaughter and leading the way.

Kate glanced toward Happy and flashed him a small sad smile. He wanted nothing more than to be able to reach out and comfort her but knew he couldn't. He had noticed the more relaxed stance she held now in the presence of her grandparent's and he knew the bond she had specifically with her grandmother must be a strong one.

"What in heaven's name is going on around here Katie?" Francesca Marino asked as she slid into the passenger seat of the car.

With a quick glance across to Happy who looked positively huge sitting next to her in the backseat of the small Hyundai Accent, Kate answered. "It's a long story Nonna, but basically after everything that caused Ivy and Mum's death late last year and now Jason's too, Dad wants me to marry Barry and I refuse to."

"Good choice Bella." The older woman answered. "Why must you marry him though?"

"Because the stupid tool is up on manslaughter charges and they're afraid that if I get called as a witness he'll get put away for longer. If we're married they can't ask me to testify. That and I'm sure Dad sees me as some pawn to get his precious club up and running again."

"I really do not want to see you get sucked into the club the way your mother did Katie." Francesca said sadly.

"I know Nonna. I have absolutely no intention of doing what he wants me to."

"Your a brave girl Katie. If anyone is able to stand up to your father, it's you. I only wish your mother had been able to also."

"I do too Nonna." Kate answered sadly as her grandfather returned to the car.

"Your father wants you back at the clubhouse when the burial is over." He said as he started the engine.

"Of course he does." Kate answered dryly.

Francesca glanced back toward her granddaughter. "Stay strong Katie. Don't let them drag you back in."

"They're not going to make it easy Nonna." Kate said.

"I know Kate but I suspect there is a lot more going on here than you have shared with me yet." She said with an intentional glance toward Happy. "I understand the current plan is for you to return to America for a time?" She asked to which Kate just nodded.

"Come visit with Nonno and I before you return there." Francesca continued.

"I'd love to Nonna." Kate smiled.

* * *

Tears were still fresh in Kate's eyes as her grandparents car pulled to a stop outside the clubhouse of the Geelong Charter of the Sons of Anarchy motorcycle club.

"Stay strong Kate." Francesca said turning back toward her granddaughter, who she knew was struggling having just said her final goodbyes to her twin. "You will get through this sweetheart."

"Thanks Nonna." Kate answered, "Are you driving back home tonight?"

"Yes sweetheart."

"Are you sure? It's a three our drive from here."

"Yes sweetheart. We don't like to overstay our welcome here."

Kate nodded knowing that the tensions between her mother's parents and her father had always been fraught. Although they had accepted him as part of their family she knew that they had never approved of the club or her mother's choices regarding it. She knew also that the relationship would now be further strained after the deaths of her mother, sister and brother, more or less at his hands.

"Okay Nonna. I'll come visit you both tomorrow and maybe stay for a few days. Would that be okay?"

"More than okay Katie. And Happy you are most welcome too."

"He has to come along Nonna. He's been sent here to protect me from any danger they're idiocy causes."

Francesca gave her granddaughter a knowing smile. "I know there is more to it than that Katie."

"Is it that obvious?" Kate asked cautiously hoping her father's suspicions hadn't been further raised.

"No Kate, but you know I've always been able to read you as easily as I could read your mother."

Kate smiled and lent forward to place a kiss on her grandmothers cheek. "I love you Nonna and I'll see you again tomorrow. You too Nonno." She added as she turned to him and placed a kiss on his cheek also.

She sat back and placed her hand on Happy's leg, daring to touch him for the first time all day. "Let's go see what Daddy Dearest wants Hap." She said with a fake smile as she readied to get out of the car.

"Take care of her please." Francesca said to Happy, entrusting him with her granddaughter's care, as he moved to follow Kate from the car.

He gave a solitary nod in response as he climbed from the car.

He saw that Kate's tears had subsided and she was seemingly more relaxed than she had been after her father's visit and tirade the night before. He could tell that her grandparents had a calming effect on her but he also sensed there was a great deal of animosity between the two sides of her family and rightly so.

"Stay this chilled and relaxed Little Lady." He said as they walked toward the clubhouse. She smiled at his use of the nickname that her hadn't called her for a while and realized that she actually kind of liked it.

"I'll try Hap, but I have no idea how this conversation is going to go." She answered him wanting nothing more than to be able to reach out and touch him again.

"Just stick to your guns Kate and don't give in to them. I promised Koz I'd bring you back unwed."

She smiled and even giggled a little at those words, almost wishing that she had Kozik and his easy going nature by her side right now. Whilst she'd chosen Happy of the pair, she still relied on Kozik's friendship and advice greatly.

She walked into the clubhouse to find her father already a third of the way though a bottle of Jim Beam, not bothering with a glass. "Great. He's well on the way to being drunk." She murmured to Happy under her breath.

"Just keep your cool okay?" He murmured back.

"Kate! Happy! Come join us." Len Grazer declared when he saw them enter. "We were raising a glass to the memory of your brother Kate."

Kate took a deep breath and swallowed hard before leading the way over to the table that her father sat at with the other members of his club.

He offered the bottle in his hand toward his daughter who turned her nose up at the liquid. "No thanks Dad." She said as she took a seat beside him.

"Happy you want something? Bar's fully stocked." he offered the American Son.

"Nah. I'm good thanks." Happy answered pulling up a seat opposite Kate.

"You know you can drop the staunch protector mode." Len said suddenly to the guest in his clubhouse, making Happy's eyes flick momentarily toward Kate with apprehension. "Nothing's gonna happen to Kate in these walls."

Kate saw the brief look of relief cross through his dark eyes. She knew that he'd thought them discovered as she had also.

"Have a drink, relax a little." Barry said from where he'd placed himself beside Kate. "You look like you could do with one."

Happy raised his eyebrows at the man. "Got any tequila?" He asked.

"Yeah. There should be some behind the bar." Barry answered as he took a swig from the vodka bottle that sat in front of him.

"I'll get it." Kate said rising from her seat and heading toward the bar, Happy knew in an effort to distance herself from Barry who was edging closer to her.

He could tell her apprehension was rising as she returned to the table with a tequila bottle and two shot glasses which she filled, pushing one toward him and keeping the other for herself.

He eyed her carefully as she threw it back. He had no idea whether or not she could hold her liquor and hoped that she didn't plan on getting drunk to get herself though this.

"So Kate," Barry said placing his arm around her shoulders, "I was hoping you'd changed your mind about what you said yesterday." he said.

"Not in the least." She said pushing his arm off her shoulder. She poured herself another shot and threw it back.

"Kate please rethink this." her father said sternly.

"No Daddy I won't. I am not going to spend a decade of my life married to a man in prison."

"You know there's the prison clause Kate. I wouldn't blame you for straying." Barry said.

"My God Barry! What is with you since I've come back? You used to be so insanely jealous of any other guy so much as coming near me, even when we were broken up, and now you're giving me permission to have another guy?"

"It would only be while I'm inside Kate. I know you have strong needs to be met babe."

She scoffed. "I know you know all about what's in the top drawer of my nightstand Barry. I can take care of any needs myself." She snapped back at him as she threw back another shot. Happy couldn't help the slight smirk that came to the corner of his mouth at her words. He also couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable the turn in the conversation was making her father. "Besides," Kate continued, "we are not getting married." She said pouring another shot for Happy and then one for herself. She caught the look Happy threw her urging her to slow down.

"We'll see about that Kate." Barry said with insistence as he attempted once again to place his arm around her shoulders, which she swiftly pushed away. Happy could tell he was growing increasingly drunker.

"You'll head back to the states for a while as we discussed Kate." Len said, clearly glad the conversation had turned away from that of his daughter's sexual needs. "It's still not safe for you here without someone constantly watching you, but when it is you will return and carry out your part of the deal."

"I didn't agree to any deal Dad. It's not going to happen." Kate insisted.

"What's happened to you since you've been away Kate?" Len asked suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Kate asked slowly.

"You were fine to get married before you left. I watched you two saying your goodbyes at the airport for Christ sake. And now you're so dead set against it."

"Isn't it obvious?" Kate asked rising from her seat. "Since I've been away this past month so much has changed around here. The most important person in my life is dead! The man I once planned to marry is facing manslaughter charges and long stint away. This club is everything that I don't want to be involved in. Being away all this time gave me the perspective I needed to see just how toxic your little world is! The last thing I want is to be stuck here because of what your insisting I do."

Len raised his eyebrows at his daughter and then flicked his glance toward Happy momentarily. Happy knew that his suspicions of Kate and him were growing.

"Barry said you eluded to there being someone else." Len accused.

"I let him think that." She said glancing toward Barry who casually took another swig from the bottle in front of him. She knew the alcohol was turning him into a cocky asshole who believed he was going to win her back yet again. "He asked me if there was someone else and I didn't deny it. I thought maybe it might be easier to end things if he thought I'd moved on with someone else. But clearly not. I'm going to the bathroom." She said pushing herself away from the table that she had been gripping with her fingers.

"Your not American Kate. We say going to the toilet here." Wombat called after her.

"Shut up Wombat." She snarled over her shoulder as she left the room.

She had no real need to use the bathroom but simply wanted to get away from the conversation at hand. She sighed as she closed the door behind herself and leaned against it. Her father was right in a way. She knew she had changed in many ways, but most of all her time in America had opened her eyes to everything she hated about this club, or perhaps just this charter of it. She hadn't felt anywhere near as stifled whilst in Tacoma and she had begun to see that the first priority of the men in her life back home was themselves. Sure the American Sons had huge egos but they weren't arrogant, misogynist assholes like those of the Australian charter. Her father had let the power of the club go to his head to the point where family had become a distant second.

She sighed as she flushed the toilet for the sake of pretense before opening the door heading back out only to be pinned against the wall in the hallway.

"Get your hands off me Barry!" She declared grimacing at the alcohol she could smell on his breath.

"C'mon Katie. You know you could never resist me when I did this." He said running his hand across the small of her back.

"I said get your hands off me Barry." She said pushing him away from her.

"It's been over a month Katie. I know you got needs that need meeting."

"I told you. I'm more than capable of taking care of them myself." She snarled.

"Well I need you to service mine then." He said trying to lean in to kiss her.

She laughed before she answered him. "Not gonna happen Barry. Go pay for it."

She recoiled as his hand slapped her cheek and his other grabbed at her hair and pulled it hard toward him. She grabbed at his throat and dug her nails in hard, making him release his grip on her. "Fuck Katie. Stop being such a bitch about this."

"Accept the fact that we're over Barry. We were never going to work! Not then and not now. I'm going back to America in a couple of days and I don't intend on coming back here ever."

"Why's that? You got lover boy there waiting for you?"

"No Barry but people that I'd much rather be around right now."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "I can tell you've been fucking someone else Katie. I always can."

"So you know we're over then. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going home." She said pushing away from him and turning back to the common room.

"You'll come back to me Katie. I'll do whatever I have to do to make sure of it." He snarled to her back as she walked away.

She shuddered briefly at the menace of his tone before shaking the feeling off. He was impossible when he was drunk and always had been which was perhaps one of the reasons she'd always given in before.

"Dad I'm going home." She announced as she neared the table they were all still sitting at. She didn't fail to notice Happy's relief at her return.

"No you're not Katie. It's late and you've had too much to drink. You're staying here tonight."

Kate sighed. "Fine, but I'm not sharing Barry's dorm if that's what you're hoping."

"Perhaps You'd prefer to share with someone else?" Wombat suggested.

"What's that sposed to mean?" Kate glared at him.

"Nothing." He backtracked.

"We have enough spare dorms that you don't have to share with anyone Kate. Nor does Happy. Take the two at the back of the hallway." Len Grazer said with a sigh beginning to see that this was one battle he wasn't going to win with his daughter. He didn't know what had gone on while she was in Tacoma but he knew that the determined and stubborn girl that sat in his clubroom now was a different girl to the one that had left it a little over a month ago. "Show Happy where he'll be sleeping." He added.

"Sure Dad." She replied with a tired sigh. "C'mon Hap." She added heading from the room.

He kept his distance from her until they were alone in the deserted hallway, where he grabbed her hand and pulled her back toward him.

"You alright Little Lady?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah Hap. I'm fine. Just sick of their crap."

He nodded. "Barry cornered you in the hallway before didn't he?" He asked.

"Yeah." She said quietly, he could tell apprehensively.

"What'd he say?"

"That he'd get me back no matter what he had to do, but it wasn't just that Hap. It was the way he said it. He's never spoken to me with such malice before."

"You think he'll hurt you?"

"I don't know." She said shakily.

"I'm fuckin' glad I came out here with you Kate otherwise I don't think there'd be any chance of you returning to the states."

"I think you're right Hap." She said quietly taking stock of how close his body had become to hers.

"Lock your door tonight Little Lady." He said as he brushed his hand down her cheek.

She nodded. "I wanna get an early start tomorrow Hap."

"Sure." He answered. "We heading to your grandparents?"

She nodded again before he pressed his lips briefly against hers before drawing away ad heading toward the dorm room that she indicated as his.

She bit her lip as she watched him close the door.

* * *

Alone in one of the club's dorm rooms, she thought back on the day that had just passed and thought forward to what was yet to come. She sat back against the pillows refusing to let her tears fall as she searched through her phone for Kozik's number that she knew he'd put in there for er before she'd left.

"Hey Koz." She responded when he answered.

"Katie? How are you doing over there?"

"Not so good." She answered him.

"Happy's still watching out for you I hope?"

"Yeah he is. It's just trying to get out of this marriage is proving harder than I thought and Jason's funeral was today and I just, I just needed to hear your voice." She rambled close to breaking down at the end of her words.

"Hey hush Katie. It's gonna be okay."

"I can't do life here without Jas in it Koz. I've realized that's a big reason why I want to stay over there."

"You can't runaway and pretend it never happened though Kate."

"I know that. I just need a fresh start that's all. Staying here I'll get dragged back into the club again and stuck there. I don't want that."

"What do you want Katie?"

"I want to be back there with you and Hap, like it was before I left. I know I chose Happy but I still really like you Koz." She said biting her lip not sure what his response to her words was likely to be.

"I kind of figured that Katie. Where's Hap right now?"

"In the next room. We're staying at the clubhouse tonight and my dad doesn't know we're together."

Kozik scoffed. "Happy Lowman sneaking around behind your daddy's back huh?"

She smiled. "Yeah I guess it is kinda funny from your perspective. I'm terrified my dad is going to find out though Koz."

"So what if he does? Surely he just wants you to be happy right?"

"I'm not so sure he'll see it in the same way. What he wants is to rebuild his club using me as some pawn to do it."

"You know about the ultimatum Charming gave him?" Kozik asked.

"Yeah I do."

"You'll be coming back here Katie. Hap and I will make sure of it."

"I hope so Koz. I miss you."

"I miss you too Katie, but I'll see you back here real soon okay?"

"Yeah okay. Thanks for the chat Koz."

"You're welcome babe."

"Goodnight Koz."

"Goodnight Katie." He said ending the call with a sigh. Damn if he wasn't developing deep feelings for her. He hoped he could keep them at bay once she returned. He didn't want to jeopardize the friendship they'd developed or have anything come between him and Happy either.

Kate also let out a long sigh on the other side of the world. She was struggling without the support of Jason, who she knew would have helped her stand her ground against Barry and their father. Her sudden need to hear Kozik's voice made her realize just ow heavily she had come to depend on him, perhaps in Jason's place or perhaps something more.

* * *

 **A/N: So a longer chapter which spans across a fair bit of content. Sorry for how long it has taken me to get it up. Life is crazy right now, but I wanted to get this up before I have to go to work today! Thank you for your continued support for this story and hopefully I'll be able to update again soon.**

 **Also in writing this update I began thinking alot about what Kate looks like and have come to the conclusion that looks wise she kind of makes me think of Margot Robbie and when I was picturing the smiling face of Jason in the photo that sat on his casket, Ryan Kwanten was pictured in my mind. So I hope this helps any of you who prefer to have an idea of what the characters may look like. Please review and let me know what you think of this update ans where it looks like it may be headed. :-)**


	17. Chapter 17

17/

Kate woke and glanced at the clock on the bedside table. "Shit." She swore. It was later than she had anticipated waking up. _Stupid alarm must be broken._ She cursed to herself as she got up and quickly dressed in the same clothes she'd worn yesterday. Funeral clothes. She couldn't wait to get back to her apartment and get out of them.

She grabbed her purse, keys and phone from where she'd laid them the night before and slid open the lock on the door and slowly peeped her head out hoping that both the hallway and the clubhouse would still be empty. She breathed a sigh of relief when she neither saw or heard any sign of others up. She moved to the door next to her own and quietly knocked, not wanting to wake anyone but Happy. When he didn't respond, she knocked again, a little louder this time but still with no response. Slowly and carefully so as not to make a sound she tried the handle and was relieved to find it unlocked. She turned it and poked her head gingerly around the corner of it as she pushed it slowly open. She saw that the bed was empty and meticulously made as she edged into the room and closed the door behind her. Steam wafted from the adjoining bathroom.

"Hap?" She said quietly as she neared the bathroom.

"Did you wanna join me Little Lady?" He smirked putting his head around the edge of the shower curtain.

"You know I can't." She answered with a smile. "I wanted to be out of here by now. The stupid alarm I set didn't go off."

"I'm nearly done." He said shutting the water off and stepping out. He watched the blush rise on her cheeks as he stepped naked out of the shower. He knew it was more from lust as opposed to embarrassment.

"I'll wait out in the clubroom," she said as she passed him a towel.

"Nah. Wait in here Little Lady. I don't want you anywhere that Barry can get you alone." he said as he began to dry himself off.

"Okay Hap." she answered with a small smile to herself as she turned to go sit on the bed and wait. It warmed her that he was that concerned over her welfare here.

He saw her eyebrows lift and a small smile creep to the corner of her mouth as he emerged from the bathroom a minute or so later with only the towel wrapped around him. He smirked at her as he crossed the room to pick up his boxers and jeans where he'd neatly laid them across a chair. She made no secret of watching him dress and didn't protest when he pushed her back on the bed and prowled over her still shirtless. He pressed his lips against hers hard and she greedily kissed him back, her fingers tingling with warmth as she raked them down over his chest.

He stopped and pulled back with a smirk when he heard the tiny moan escape her lips. "Thought you said we had to get outta here, Little Lady." He said as he pulled away to grab his t shirt and kutte.

"We do. You started it." She said as she sat up.

"Did I? You were the one eye fucking me."

She smiled. "We can't get caught doing anything anyway. C'mon let's get out of here." She said seeing that he was dressed and now just pulling his boots on. She made her way to the door and slowly peaked her head out, relieved to find the hallway still empty. "I'll go first," she said quietly turning back to Happy. "Keep a good distance behind me until I know they're all still passed out drunk."

He nodded as he rose to follow her from the room. He watched her perky little ass as she made her way down the hallway in front of him. She turned back and gave him a nod and a gesture to catch up to her as she neared the end of the hallway.

He heard her breathe out a huge sigh of relief as they walked out the clubhouse door and toward her car. "Thank Christ they all got so drunk last night or they definitely would have been up by now." She said as she unlocked her car and slid in.

"Where we headed first?" He asked doing the same.

"My place." She said shifting her car into reverse and peeling out onto the street. "I need to get a few things and I wanna get changed out of these clothes." She said.

He nodded in understanding as she eased her car into the heavy morning traffic.

* * *

It took closer to an hour and a half to make it to her apartment on account of how heavy the traffic had been.

"You coming in with me?" She asked as she pulled her car to a stop in it's spot at the roadside.

"Yeah. My stuff's still here and we should probably clean up a little in case anyone stops by in your absence." He added with a smirk she knew referring to her lingerie that was still where he'd kicked it out of view and no less than three used condoms and their wrappers floating about her bedroom.

She smiled. "Yeah we probably should." She said as she began making her way toward the stairs that led to her apartment.

As soon as they were inside he neatly folded the sheet and blanket she'd placed on the couch for him and fished her underwear from under the couch while she headed toward her bedroom.

He grinned at her as he entered her room to see her packing the contents of her top drawer into the side of her bag. She smirked back as she closed the zip on her bag and crossed to the closet to grab some of her costumes. She stashed them into a different compartment of her bag before taking the skimpy school girls uniform from his hand.

"That one's my favorite." He rasped pulling her to him and pressing his lips hard against hers.

"Yeah?" She murmured against his lips as she returned his kiss.

"Aha." He said taking it from her hand and placing it aside as he backed her to the wall and pressed her against it.

She moaned as his hand made it's way up her back underneath her top, his body pressing hard against hers as his other hand undid the buttons down her front.

"Hap, I said we can't." She gasped pulling away trying hard to resist the heat that burned through her skin at his touch.

"They're all over an hour away Katie and this won't take long." He rasped as he pushed her pants down her hips. "You said you wanted to get changed anyway." He grinned before bringing his lips back to hers.

She brought her hands to his belt, making short work of it before pushing his jeans and boxers to the floor. He lifted her into his arms and pressed her back against the wall while he brushed the sheer lace of her panties aside. She gasped and threw her head back as she felt him ram into her hard and fast.

"Oh Christ Hap!" She moaned as he set a fast and desperate pace. Her gasping breath quickly turned to short sharp moans and whimpers as he drove into her again and again bringing her closer and closer to her peak. She sank her nails into his back and gasped a long breathy moan as her orgasm ripped through her, as he quickly followed with his own.

"Holy fuck." She gasped as he slid from her and let her body slide down the wall. "That was intense." She said as she looked up at him where he still stood braced against the wall and still reeling. She placed her hand against his chest and kissed his cheek before ducking under his arm and heading to the bathroom.

He was doing his belt up when she reemerged from the bathroom wearing only her bra and panties. She crossed the room to fetch a pair of shorts and a top. He smiled as she shrugged on her shorts and did up the buttons on the pale blue sleeveless blouse she'd chosen. Fuck he loved her summer wardrobe.

"You ready to get out of here?" He asked her as she slid a pair of sandals onto her feet.

"Yeah. Make sure you have everything as I don't plan on coming back here before we leave the country."

He nodded watching her grab her bag from the bed and head to the door. He picked up his own bag and followed her out.

* * *

"What ya thinking Little Lady?" Happy asked interrupting the silence that had fallen between them as she drove, the morning peak hour having eased now as they made their way past the outer suburbs.

"Just hoping we can get out of the country, Hap." She said with a sigh.

"We will Kate." He assured her placing his hand upon her leg.

She smiled across at him and took one hand off the wheel to place it against his. He watched her relax more the further they drove. The city freeways gave way to country roads and the high density housing of the suburbs gave way to paddocks and farming land.

"So where is it that your grandparents live?" He asked looking out the window at the unfamiliar countryside.

"Inverloch. It's a kind of small coastal town." She answered. "A lot more touristy now than it was when I was a kid."

"Have they always lived there?" He asked.

"No. I remember when I was younger they lived in Geelong not far from us but when Nonno retired they moved. They said they had always wanted a sea change but I always kind of suspected they moved there to give us somewhere to get away to when things with the club turned sour." She said slowing the car to ease it around a sharp bend in the road.

"Wow." he remarked at the view as they came round the other side of the bend.

She smiled across at him. "Beautiful isn't it?" She asked watching him take it in. There were rolling green hills as far as the eye could see to the right of the road but to the left the land flattened out giving a view of the ocean in the distance. "I love this part of the drive. It always makes me appreciate how beautiful and diverse this country is."

He nodded. "You must have come down here a lot." He said watching the ease with which she drove along the winding country road, knowing it must have been a road she'd driven often.

She nodded. "We'd spend at least a couple of weeks of every summer here when we younger and we'd visit at least a few more times every year. As we got older it kind of became our refuge, especially for me and Jason. He used to insist on bringing me here to get me away from Barry."

"So he didn't approve of your relationship?"

"Not so much. I think more to the point though he saw how unhappy I was where everyone else didn't."

He nodded. "So tell me how your mother got messed up in the SOA world."

She gave a small smile before she answered. "My grandparents migrated to Australia from Sicily when my mother was quite young; I think maybe six or seven. She was their only child which is rare for an Italian family. She went traveling when she was eighteen which was when she met my father. He was the vice president of your New Jersey charter and my uncle as you know was Wally Grazer, it's president and first nine."

"They said it was love at first." She continued as she turned off the road they were on to a straighter one, the landscape around them now flatter and giving way to a more coastal feel. "They'd only been together for three weeks before my Dad proposed to her. She wanted to come back here to Australia but his love for the club was holding him back. It was my uncle who suggested they start up a charter here, so they ran it past Charming and it was approved."

He nodded. "And I'm guessing your grandparents weren't so thrilled with that idea?"

She sighed. "Yes and no. At first they approved of dad and welcomed him to their family. In the beginning of the club things were good. Income was from legitimate means but as time went on things got a little dicey. Their biggest income came from drugs and they dabbled on the side of some of the more sinister parts of the crime underworld. It was around about that time that my grandparents moved. My father has always prided himself on staying away from any mafia ties, but what he has always failed to see was that in doing that he made some huge enemies. To be honest things have been pretty dangerous here since I was about fifteen which is probably why my parents never had a problem with me being in a relationship with someone so much older. They saw it as me being protected ignoring what they knew was also going on."

"That you were underage and he was committing statutory rape?" he asked.

She nodded. "Early on they turned a blind eye to it and only really acknowledged it once I was eighteen and hence legal."

"So I got the impression yesterday that your Nonna in particular wanted to see your mother cut ties with the club?"

"Yeah, for years she tried to get her to leave and get me and Jason and Ivy out too, but as we got older dad pulled Jason in suggesting he prospect and become VP, I was involved with Barry and blind with what I thought was love and mum, well to be honest I think she was in love with Wombat and if it hadn't been for the relationship they had on the side she may have listened and gotten us all out sooner."

"So you make it sound like Jason didn't really want to be a part of the club?"

"Maybe not but I think we both always knew growing up that we would both become embroiled in it whether we wanted to or not; and don't me wrong once he became VP Jas loved the club and he was always loyal to it but he never lost sight of what was important to him and that was family especially me and Ivy."

He nodded looking out the window as farming land gave way to houses as they entered a town.

"And here we are." Kate said as she turned onto what had to be the main street of the small town. "Welcome to Inverloch Hap."

"It's busy." He said as she slowed the car to allow a large group of people to cross in front of her, the footpaths on either side of the road filled with people spilling from shops or making their way to and from a large and colorful playground on one side of the road.

She nodded a small relaxed and happy smile on her face. "It always is in summer, especially on a day as hot as this. See that playground there? The beach is like 50 meters past those trees. People come here from all around and have fish and chips at the playground then go spend the rest of the day at the beach."

"Can't say I've ever really been much of a beach person." He remarked.

She laughed. "Spending so much time here as a kid I love the beach Hap!" She said turning into a driveway directly across from the beach.

"I guess I can understand that." He said as she pulled her car to a stop behind what he recognized as her grandparents car. She smiled as she pulled the key out of the ignition and got out to greet her grandmother who had come out as soon as she heard the car in the driveway.

"Hey Nonna." She greeted her as the woman took her into a long warm embrace.

"It's great to have you here Bella." Francesca said, finally letting go of her granddaughter.

"It's great to be here again Nonna." Kate said clearly more happy and relaxed.

"And Happy, welcome. It's good to see you again and I hope that we can get to know you better over the next couple of days."

Happy gave her his closest expression to a smile as he nodded his head and offered her is hand. She took it and pulled him close to give him a kiss, first on one cheek and then the other. "I know you and Kate are much closer than you want her father to be aware of. There is no need for formalities here Happy. Here you are family." She said warmly.

"Thank you." Happy answered, instantly warming to the woman. He watched the bounce in Kate's step as she followed her inside. His mouth turned up at one corner into a small smile as he realized how much he liked seeing her this happy. He knew he and Kozik had only caught a glimpse of this side of her on the night they'd spent together in the hotel on the way to Charming for Christmas.

With most of the pieces of her intricate puzzle laid out in front of him now, he found himself looking forward to piecing them all together and getting to know her. He'd never before felt the desire to get to know a chick the way he wanted to know her.


	18. Chapter 18

18/

 _ **January 7, 2007**_

Kate breathed in the delicious smell drifting from the kitchen later that afternoon.

"Nonna you know you didn't have to go all out for dinner." She said as she entered it to find her grandmother busy at the stove.

"Nonsense Bella! You know I'll always make a lasagne the first night you're here. Your brother would have told me off if I hadn't."

Kate laughed at that for how true it was. Even times when she and Jason had shown up unannounced Francesca had cooked her well loved lasagne and on the few that she hadn't Jason had complained.

"You're right. He would have." She smiled. "Anything I can do to help?"

"No. Just sit and talk to me Bella, keep me company while I cook, just like the two of you always used to."

"I miss him like crazy Nonna."

"I have no doubt you do sweet girl. You meant the world to him."

"I feel kind of guilty though Nonna. I mean I miss him and everything about him but most of all I just wish he was here to help me stand up to Dad with this whole Barry thing."

"Do not feel guilty for that sweetheart. You're still grieving and your thoughts are going to scattered. He was your rock. Of course you are going to want him here through such a difficult time, but I know that he would be proud of you and the way you have handled things so far."

"Yeah I suppose you're right."

"You know he would be. Now tell me what is really going on between you and Happy."

Kate blushed before she answered. "When I was sent to America when all the club stuff went south he was tasked to keeping an eye on me. Well him and another member of his charter, Kozik, and I suppose it was my way of handling the situation I'd been put in but from the outset I was pretty flirtatious with both of them. Things kind of elevated between me and Hap and well I like him Nonna. That's a part of the reason that I can't marry Barry but dad would be furious."

Francesca sighed. "Kate I've never even tried to understand your father and the way or reason he does things but at some point he needs to realize that you are an adult now and he no longer controls you, not that he ever should have in the first place."

"Dad's whole existence is about control and having those around him do what he wants them to."

"He needs to realize that controlling those around you is not loving them. Your mother was unhappy for years because of that fact. Talk to him Kate. Make him see that you are unhappy here."

"He won't understand Nonna. This is my home. This is where he thinks I should be."

"It is not what he thinks that matters Kate. Your mother is finally at peace, not by any way of our choosing. I can see Bella that your heart is no longer here with Jason gone. You need to realign yourself and find a new place for yourself in the world and it is not possible for you to do that here."

"He won't care about that Nonna. It's always his way or the highway."

"Then choose the highway."

Kate smiled. "I guess in a way I am. We intend on going straight to the airport from here."

"You should probably discuss what I've said with your father, Kate."

"I have over and over but he refuses to hear any opinion other than his own."

"Then be careful Kate and expect that he will come after you."

Kate nodded. "I know that he probably intends to at some point anyway to make sure I come back and get married."

"I don't want to see that happen Kate." Francesca said as Happy entered the kitchen.

"I don't either Nonna. Once I'm back in the states I don't plan on returning."

Francesca nodded. "I hope you'll be able to make that happen Kate. Nonno and I will miss you but we want you to be happy."

"I'll try to come back and visit when all this blows over."

"It would be nice if you could."

"Would it be okay if I leave my car here? There's nowhere else that I can really store it."

"Of course you can and we'll drive you to the airport."

"Nonna I can't let you do that. It's a four hour round trip for you."

"Then let us pay for a taxi to take you."

"Nonna no!"

"I won't take no for an answer Katie."

"Nonna you know I make more than enough money to be able to pay for it."

"Please Katie let us do this for you." Francesca insisted as she put the lasagne into the oven.

"Okay Nonna." Kate said with a sigh knowing that it was the older woman's way of taking care of the little family she had left.

* * *

"Hap and I are gonna go take a walk on the beach." Kate announced later that evening as she cleared the table.

"We are?" Happy asked raising his eyebrows at her.

Kate giggled. "Yes. We are."

"You can't expect Kate to visit here and not spend nearly the entirety of her time at the beach." Her grandfather commented. Like Happy he was a man of few words.

"I'm not that bad Nonno." Kate laughed.

"You and Jason would spend dawn to dusk there when you were younger." He responded.

Kate smiled at the memory. "Yeah we did."

Francesca smiled. "Go now Kate before the sun sets. It looks like a beautiful one."

Kate nodded. "C'mon Hap." She said grabbing a hold of his arm and pulling him to the door.

He draped his arm around her shoulders, the evening still warm, as they walked down the steep driveway. "You're so much more relaxed here babe." He commented.

She smiled back at him as they crossed the road to the beach on it's other side. "I told you being here was always like a refuge from all the shit back home and I guess in a way this time it's helping me to deal with Jason's death. We were happiest whenever we were here Hap."

"I can see that. Your grandparents are great people."

"Yeah. They are but it was like Jas was all mine when we were here though Hap. No dad, no club, it was just me and him. That's the brother I love and remember, not all the crap dad said yesterday."

He pulled her close and kissed her forehead.

She smiled and shrugged away, and began stripping her clothes off to reveal an aqua colored bikini beneath them. "Are you coming in?" She asked eyeing him up and down in his jeans, boots, t shirt and Kutte.

"Do I look beach ready babe?"

She giggled, "At least take off your boots and wade in."

Kate laughed as Happy sat in the sand taking off his boots and rolling up the legs of his jeans. "Do you even own shorts Hap?"

He smirked at her. "Never had any use for them." He said standing as he shrugged off his kutte and laid it over his boots where they lay in the sand before peeling off his plain white t shirt and tossing it down also as he watched her run towards the water looking back with a giggle.

He walked toward the water where it met the sand and lost sight of her for a moment as she dove beneath the waves. He saw her blonde tresses darkened by the water pop out again way out deep as she turned around to face the shore. He waded into his knees and waited for her to swim back in. He watched her come in and realized what a strong swimmer she was.

He smiled with approval as she reached the shallow water and walking back toward him dripping wet and a picture of beauty. "You know you're fucking gorgeous right?" He said as she neared him, taking her in his arms. Her wet skin met the dry skin of his chest.

He brought his lips to hers and kissed her, not caring of the spectacle they must have made; her a blonde beach babe and him a tatted up biker. She kissed him back, not caring either. He hoisted her into his arms and carried her back across the sand to where their clothes lay on the beach. He laid her down on the sand and continued kissing her; her lips, her cheeks, her neck and chest. They lay there, just kissing and making out like teenagers until the last rays of sunshine had sunk below the horizon.

Kate finally pulled away. "We'd better get back." She said quietly through the quickly descending darkness.

"Yeah." He said rising and collecting their clothes in one arm and pulling her up with the other.

She smiled at him through he darkness, he could tell too proud to utter the words she wanted to.

* * *

 _ **January 10, 2003**_

"What's up Kate?" Happy asked as he entered her room to find her throwing the contents of her bag across the bed.

"My passport! It's not fucking here."

"Relax babe. Maybe you put it in a different spot in your bag."

"I didn't Hap. I haven't taken it out since we cleared customs when we first got here."

"Then maybe it fell out when you packing your other stuff."

"Yeah. Maybe."

"We'll swing past your place on the way to the airport and look for it okay?"

"Yeah. It must be there." She said trying to convince herself.

"You ready to go? Taxi just got here."

She nodded fighting back tears as she began shoving everything back into her bag.

* * *

It was dark when the taxi pulled up out the front of Kate's apartment building.

"I'll be right back." She said as she moved to slide out of it.

"Meter keeps running." The driver reminded her.

"I know." She answered. "I'll be quick."

She ran up the stairs two at a time and didn't bother turning on the lounge room light when she entered. She headed straight to her room and flicked on the light knowing that her passport would have to be somewhere there. She tossed the bed covers around and got down on her hands and knees to look under the bed.

"Damn it!" She swore. "Where is it?" She said as she made her way to the lounge room however sure she was that it couldn't be there. She flicked the light on and jumped when she saw her father sitting on the couch waiting for her.

"Looking for this?" He asked holding up her passport.

"Daddy please just give it to me." She said quietly, almost in defeat.

"I don't think so Kate. There's a few things we need to talk about first."

She gasped as she felt an arm wrap around her shoulder and a hand close tightly around her neck.

"Don't hurt her Barry." She heard her father say.

Her heart skipped a beat as she hoped Happy would realize she was taking too long.

* * *

 **A/N: Apologies for any typos in this chapter. It's late here but I wanted to get it out to you all. Thank you so much for your insights especially those of you that review every chapter; you know who you are. I love reading every single review! They mean the world to me! Please keep them coming and let me know what you think of this latest chapter and it's cliffhanger! (You know I love em!)**


	19. Chapter 19

19/

Happy glanced at the time display on the dash, knowing something wasn't right. She was taking too long. He looked up toward her door just in time to see her father emerge from it and make his way down the stairs toward his bike that both he and Kate had failed to notice in the darkness.

"Shit." He swore as saw the other bike now standing on it's own.

"This trip is gonna cost you an absolute fortune." The driver said as Happy moved to slide from the car.

"Then it's your lucky fuckin' night isn't it?" Happy snapped slamming the door.

He raced up the steps to her apartment and pushed the door open to find her pressed against the wall, tears streaming down her face, Barry's hand closed around her throat as he tried to tug her jeans from her hips.

"Get off her!" Happy growled as he pulled Barry back by the collar of his kutte.

Barry stumbled backwards as Happy let him go but quickly recovered to take a swing at Happy which he dodged, swinging back to connect with Barry's jaw.

"I know you've been fucking my Mrs. She just admitted it." Barry growled as he recovered from Happy's strike.

"She ain't yours and she never will be." Happy growled.

"We'll see about that." Barry growled. "Tell 'im what you agreed to cherub." He continued.

"Don't call me that." She snarled as he moved to pull her from where she still stood, back pressed to the wall, tears streaming down her face and a purple bruise beginning to swell around her eye.

Happy swung his fist before he could and connected sharply against his temple, knocking him out instantly.

"You alright?" He asked moving toward Kate and brushing his hand down the side of her cheek.

She winced and gave a small nod as his finger brushed over the growing bruise on her cheek.

"Is he …?"

"He's not dead babe."

"Get me out of here Hap." She said quietly.

"You gotta get some ice on that eye babe."

"I'll be fine. Let's just go." She said moving away from him and picking up her passport from where her father had dropped it on the coffee table.

"Your father's not gonna try to stop us?" He asked as he followed her from her apartment and back to the waiting taxi.

"No. He said I could go." She said sliding back into the taxi.

"What changed his mind."

"It doesn't matter."

"Talk to me Little Lady. What did you agree to?"

"I don't want to talk Hap. I just wanna get out of here."

He sighed hearing the evidence of tears in her voice. He knew she was close to breaking point. They passed the rest of the trip in silence before arriving at the airport, where Kate handed the taxi driver a large wad of cash, giving him a bigger tip than he'd probably ever received.

They received more than a few strange looks as they made their way through the airport with the bruise around Kate's eye already a deep purple.

"What the hell happened back there Kate?" Happy asked as they found their seats on the plane.

"I said I don't wanna talk about it Hap." She answered firmly as the stewardess walked past.

"Is everything okay here?" The woman asked.

"Yes. We're fine." Kate answered her with a polite smile.

"Could we get some ice for my girlfriends eye?" Happy asked.

"Sure. I'll be right back." The stewardess answered quickly making her way down the aisle of the plane, seemingly not quick enough.

"Is that what I am?" Kate asked looking across to Happy.

"I woulda said old lady but I don't think she'd have known what I meant." he answered taking her hand in his.

She smiled as the stewardess returned with an icepack with a deeply concerned look on her face.

"For the record, he didn't do this to me." Kate said as she accepted the icepack the other woman held out.

"Oh I wasn't thinking that he did. If there's anything else that you need just ask." She said with a smile as she bustled away as quick as she could.

"I think we're a tad intimidating Hap." Kate said with a smirk.

He smirked back. "You do look a sight little lady." He said.

She gave him a small smile in return.

"You know you're gonna have to tell me what happened right?"

She nodded. "When we're back Hap, I'll tell both you and Koz together."

He nodded and pulled her close letting her head rest upon his shoulder.

* * *

Kozik and Lee were at the airport to meet them, with Lee having transported Happy's bike knowing that he'd be itching to ride it. Kozik eyed Kate and the dark sunglasses she wore as she approached him. She grimaced as she allowed him to raise them from her eyes.

"What the fuck happened Katie?" He asked glaring across at Happy who stood beside her.

"Barry happened." She answered.

"You were meant to protect her from that asshole." Kozik growled at Happy.

"It wasn't his fault Koz." Kate said as Kozik held her at arms length. "My dad organized for Wombat to steal my passport. He and Barry were waiting for me in my apartment when I went to go find it."

"Hap shoulda been with you."

"We didn't know they were there Koz, besides I'm fine okay?" She said pushing his hands from her shoulders and wrapping her arms around him. "I missed you." She said quietly into his ear.

"Missed you too Katie. C'mon let's get out of here." He said dropping his arms from her and allowing Happy to drape his arm around her shoulders as they made their way out of the airport.

"Hap? Do you mind if I ride with Koz?" She asked as they neared the bikes and the van that Lee had used to transport Happy's bike.

"Nah. That's fine babe." He answered her, knowing she'd missed Kozik far more than she'd let on.

She passed her bag to Lee, who threw it into the back of the van and accepted the spare helmet that he passed her. She threw Kozik a smile as she placed it on her head and climbed onto his bike behind him. She lent forward and wrapped her arms around him, perhaps a little tighter than she needed to.

* * *

Happy watched as Kozik and Kate made their way toward the clubhouse. As usual he had beaten Kozik, arriving a good few minutes before them. Koz had his arm draped casually around her shoulders and she was giggling at something he'd said. Happy half wondered whether he should be jealous of the exchange but he knew Kozik would never overstep any boundaries and he liked the easy carefree nature Kate had when he was around.

"Alright Little Lady," He said as they approached, "time to tell us what happened."

"Okay." She sighed as he rose from where he was seated to lead the way inside.

"So?" Happy asked from where he sat opposite her, waiting for her to begin talking.

"So as you know I didn't lose my passport. My dad organized for Wombat to take it. He figured out where we were and knew we were on our way back because he rang Nonna and no doubt probably intimidated the hell out of her. He and Barry were waiting for me."

"Why didn't you scream out for me?" Happy asked.

"I couldn't. Barry wrapped his hand so tight around my neck that I could barely breathe let alone scream."

"So what was his reasoning for taking it?" Kozik asked.

"To force me to talk. He said I wasn't leaving the country until I told him the real reason why I wouldn't marry Barry. I broke down and told him how hard being back there was, that I couldn't handle having to live there without Jason. I told him that I need to start again in a place far away from heartbreak and tragedy. I think he finally saw what all this has done to me, how much it has broken me, changed me as a person. I have to be stronger now, without Jason, my rock is gone. I have to be that for myself now."

"So how'd you get the black eye?"

"My dad left satisfied with the answers I'd given him. He tossed my passport on the table and told Barry to follow him when he was ready. After he left Barry grabbed me again and demanded to know what else was going on. I tried to play dumb, but he forced it out of me and I told him about you and me Hap. He smashed my face into the coffee table before slamming me up against the wall, which was when you came in and knocked him out."

"He didn't do anything else?" Happy asked. She knew what he was referring to.

"No he didn't get a chance before you came in, but he would have tried."

"So what was Barry referring to? What'd you agree to?"

Kate hung her head and sighed refusing to meet the gaze of either of them. "I said I'd marry him and then divorce him as soon as the trial was over." She said quietly.

"Like hell you fuckin' will!" Happy fumed. "What the fuck were you thinking?"

"If I don't I'll have to testify and my dad thinks the stat rape will come up adding to his sentence."

"So you're doing it to protect him?" Kozik asked.

"I guess but also myself. I don't wanna sit on that stand and talk about my sex life."

"But it was consensual sex?"

"Well yeah it was but I was sixteen years old and he was 28 so consensual or not it was still statutory rape besides, half the time I don't think I knew how to say no."

"So you're admitting that some of it may have been rape?"

"Yeah maybe."

"No wonder they don't want you on the stand. That'd bury him." Kozik remarked.

"You can't marry him babe." Happy said.

"Hap it's the only way to get them off my back. Once the trial is over I'll divorce him and move back here."

"You know as well as I do that they won't make it that easy." Happy said firmly.

"What would Jason's take on this have been?" Kozik asked.

Kate snapped her head around to meet his gaze. "He would have stood up to my father and insisted against it."

"So be the stronger person that you've become and do just that." Kozik advised.

"How can I? Hap you saw firsthand how insistent they are; what their capable of."

"We'll help you babe and if we can't then Charming can intervene."

"How so?"

"As the mother charter they have the authority to overrule the club decisions of any other charter."

"But then I'd have to take the stand."

"Maybe. But we'd be there to support you through it; both of us this time."

Kate nodded looking from one to the other.

"C'mon babe." Happy said rising from the sofa he sat on. "I'm beat and I bet you are too, come get some sleep." He said leading the way to his dorm.


	20. Chapter 20

20/

Kate stretched her arms above her head as she opened her eyes to find the bed beside her empty, but heard the trickling of the shower in the adjoining bathroom. She pushed the bed covers down and padded barefoot to the bathroom, peeling his oversized shirt off as she went.

Dropping it on the bathroom floor, she stepped in behind him and ran her hands down his back, loving the feel of his muscles rippling beneath her fingers.

"Morning." He graveled as he continued to wash himself before stepping out of the shower. She pouted at him as he turned back to look at her. "Don't have time this morning." he said, drying himself.

"Why?"

"Gotta head to Charming."

"Oh?"

"Clay wants an update on what happened overseas."

"So I'm guessing I need to come too?"

"Of course you do. So hurry up."

"Okay. What's got you so grumpy this morning?"

"Just need to get moving babe." He said as he walked from the bathroom.

Kate sighed as she reached over to grab her shampoo from where she'd placed it the night before. She didn't believe his words for a second. Something was eating away at him.

She rinsed the shampoo from her hair and made sure to use more body wash than she needed. She knew it's smell drove Happy wild.

She stepped from the shower and grabbed a towel, which she began drying her hair with. She frowned when she entered his room to find he'd already left it. Figuring that they'd be spending most of the day riding she pulled on boots over her jeans and grabbed her leather jacket as she left the room.

She found Happy sitting at the bar beside Lee, a coffee cup in hand which he put down when he saw her approach. "Finally. Let's head out." He said gruffly standing and making his way toward the door.

"Wait! Do I get breakfast or even coffee first?"

"We'll stop somewhere on the way." He said holding the door open for her.

She glanced questioningly at Lee who shrugged his shoulders in return. She headed to the door with a sigh knowing that Happy was stewing over something. She knew enough about him already to know that he wasn't going to share anything with her until he was ready, if he even intended to.

She watched as he stalked over to his bike and handed her the spare helmet without a word. She got on behind him and placed her hands on hips readying for him to bring his ride to life beneath them.

* * *

They rode for nearly two hours before Kate could no longer ignore the grumbling of her stomach. "Hap," She called over his shoulder as he stopped at traffic lights, "do you reckon we could stop now?" She caught a slight nod as the lights changed and he took a right into the parking lot of a diner.

"Where are we?" She asked as she got off and handed him the spare helmet.

"Portland." he answered as he hung it on his handlebars and removed his own. He stalked to the door with long strides and opened it allowing her to go through first.

"A booth thanks." He said to the waitress who greeted them.

"Sure." She answered with a fake smile, seemingly not intimidated as she looked Kate up and down. Kate guessed he had been here before.

"You've fucked her haven't you?" Kate asked, pulling Happy from his funk, as they took their seats and the waitress walked away out of earshot.

"Yeah. Against the wall out back. How could you tell?"

"She looked at you in the same way that half the sweet butts back in Tacoma do."

"Don't worry about her. Your a better fuck."

Kate scoffed. "Thank you. I think I'm flattered." She said drily. "So why bring me here?"

"It's a diner and you wanted to eat."

"And the only waitress working is a past conquest of yours."

"Look Kate, I didn't know she'd be working. It was once about six months ago. It meant nothing then and it means nothing now."

"You regularly fuck waitresses in diners?"

"Shit Kate. It'd been a while alright? I was horny as fuck and she was offering. Now drop it."

"Only if you tell me why you've been such an ass all morning."

"I wanted to get on the road early and make Charming by nightfall but you were taking your sweet time."

"Bullshit Happy. I know there's more to it than that." She said as the waitress came back to take their orders. Kate caught the flirtatious little wink she gave when Happy made eye contact with her.

"So what is it?" She asked again as once again the waitress walked away. "You got your boxers in a twist over me riding back with Kozik yesterday?

He met her gaze briefly with a scowl on his face and then looked quickly away.

"Jesus. That's it isn't it? I rode his bike with him Hap, not his cock."

"Look Kate the next few months are likely to be a shit storm as we get your life sorted out. I just need to know where your heads at and just what is going on between you and Koz."

"The only thing going on between me and Koz is that I find him really easy to talk to. I only see him as a friend Hap. Nothing more."

"But you wanted to fuck him didn't you?"

"Maybe I did but not now. I told you Hap he's a friend and he's been a great support to me through everything."

"Does he see it that way?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask him?" Kate asked beginning to get irritated.

"I saw the way he looks at you Kate. He wants you."

"Look Happy maybe he does but I spoke to him before you and I started sleeping together. I explained to him how I felt about the two of you. I like you both Hap, but the way you make me feel is different. You make me burn with desire Hap, but you gotta admit that your not the best conversationalist. That's where Koz comes in. He's been a great emotional support to me through all of this. I need you both in different ways."

"So it's just sex when it comes to me?"

"No Hap. It's more than just sex. I … I care about you Hap."

"Good because I wanna add my name to your coverup."

"You what?" Kate said nearly choking on her coffee.

"You heard me."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah Kate. I am. I want you to know how I feel."

"So does that officially make me your old lady?"

"Yeah kinda. If I were patched into Charming I'd put a crow on you."

Kate smiled. "So when are you gonna do it?" She asked.

"Once we're back in Tacoma."

Kate nodded. "Do we really need to make it to Charming by nightfall?"

"Nah. I just wanted to get you away from Koz so I could figure out where you're at with him."

"Can we get a room somewhere?" She asked coyly.

"Can we get a little further toward Charming first?"

She smiled. "Yeah okay."

"You done?" He asked as he placed some notes on the table between them.

"Yeah." She said rising from her seat as he did the same.

She smirked as she saw the scowl on the waitresses face as Happy draped his arm around her shoulders as he led her from the diner. She couldn't help herself when she raised herself up on her tiptoes at his bike and placed a hard, deep kiss against his lips. She knew the waitress was at the window gazing upon them.

He smirked and raised his eyebrows at her as she drew away and took her helmet from his hand.

"Gettin' territorial Kate?" He asked.

"Just making sure she knows you're not gonna rock her world today."

"I'll rock yours later Little Lady." He said winking at her before she climbed on behind him.

* * *

They'd been riding for nearly an hour when Happy began to feel her press closer into his back. She began raking her fingertips up and down the inside of his thigh, with each movement up growing closer to the bulge in his pants. He knew she wanted him to pull over but he wanted to make her wait as he continued to ride. He knew forcing her to wait would her more worked up and turned on that he could tell she already was.

She moved her hand from his leg and raked her fingers up his back underneath his kutte. "Jesus Kate." He growled as he pulled his bike off the highway and towards the next town.

"What?" She murmured in his ear as she ran her tongue up the back of it.

"You're gonna make me run this bike off the road doing shit like that. That's what." He said as he cut off the engine in front the motel he'd pulled up at.

"This place looks like they rent rooms out by the hour Hap." She said as she got off standing beside him.

"It probably does, for horny little minxes like you who can't keep her hands to herself." He said pulling her to his side as he still sat astride his bike. She leaned forward to meet his lips. "C'mon, let's get a room." He said pushing her away slightly so he could get off.

"We might need more than an hour though Hap." She said with a smirk as he led her to the office.

He smirked back. "We may as well stay the night anyway Little Lady but we gotta make Charming tomorrow."

"Okay." She nodded as they entered the office and he paid for their room.

He passed her the key and pulled out his cell as they walked down the dilapidated verandah toward their room.

"Clay, we'll be there late tomorrow."

"Yeah, she doesn't care to much for long stints on a bike." He said with a sideways glance and smirk at Kate as she opened the door to their room.

"Will do." he said before snapping his phone shut.

"Your such a conversationalist aren't you?" She said mockingly as he stashed his phone back in his pocket and closed the door behind him.

"Don't believe talking was what you had in mind." He said grabbing a handful of her hair and pulling her to him and crushing his lips against hers.

She moaned into his mouth as he pressed her back against the door and ran his hands down the delicate curves of her hip, his hand cool against the warmth of her skin. She felt the familiar burning of her insides at his touch and raked her nails across his chest as his lips continued to ravage her own.

He dragged his fingers through her hair and pressed his other hand hard into the small of her back pulling her closer against him. He growled as she scraped her nails up his torso underneath his shirt. He pulled away long enough to shrug his kutte off and lay it aside. He then wrenched her away from the door and edged her backward toward the bed as he scooped down to sink his teeth into the warm flesh of her neck. She clawed at the hem of his shirt as she tried desperately to raise it high enough to get it over his head. He smirked slightly at her efforts before helping her the rest of the way. He slid her jacket from her shoulders and tossed it aside before pulling her top over her head and running his hand over the round of her breast squeezing it gently.

She bit her lip as he brought her nipple to his lips and nipped it hard before soothing it with his tongue. He kissed a trail across her breasts to her neck. She whimpered and clawed at the back of his head desperate for his lips to be upon hers once again. He pushed her back onto the bed and prowled over her as he reached down to pull her boots from her feet. She gasped as his hands rose to her hips, tickling them as he tugged her jeans down them. She bucked her hips up towards him as he continued to kiss and bite her neck. She kicked her jeans off at her ankles and mewed like a kitten as he pushed her legs apart and ran his finger over her beneath the thin lace of her panties.

"Fuck me Hap." She moaned as he pushed the lace of her panties aside and ran his thumb across her clit.

"Not yet little lady." He said swatting her hand away from where she tried to undo his belt.

She moaned again as he sank two fingers into her. "Oh Christ." She gasped as he added another finger and began pumping them in and out of her.

"You're so fucking wet Kate." He commented as she began to buck her hips up against him moaning sweetly in his ear.

"Kiss me." She gasped shrilly as her orgasm began to build. He lowered his lips to her neck again as his fingers continued to pump in and out of her and his thumb worked her clit. She let out a frustrated moan knowing he was holding back from kissing her lips like he knew she wanted.

He slowed the pace of his fingers as her walls began to shudder around them. "Oh god Hap." She moaned before he crushed his lips against hers as her pussy clamped tight around his fingers, her insides burning in ecstasy. She moaned into his mouth as his teased the last waves of her pleasure from her.

He felt her hot skin quiver beneath his fingers as he ran them up her hip to the flat of her belly. She bit her lip, raising herself up off the bed slightly to allow him to unclasp her bra. He drew her nipple into his mouth as he slid her bra down her arms.

His hands continued down and toyed with the lace band of her matching panties, gently sliding them down her hips. She raised her ass for him to slide them off as she toyed with his belt and he finally allowed her to undo it and push his jeans down his hips. She moaned as her hand brushed across his dick already rock hard beneath his boxers. She pushed them down before running her hand down his length and then back up, running her thumb across his head spreading the drops of pre-cum that pooled on it.

"You want me to fuck you?" He growled.

"Aha." She gasped as she dropped her hand from his cock and ran her fingers across his hips and up his chest to his shoulders. He shrugged her off and lent over to grab his wallet and a condom from it. He watched her eyes and the growing lust that danced in them as he rolled it down his length. He prowled over her and pinned her wandering hands above her head in one of his. He pushed her legs apart and ran a finger over her slick opening. "You're so fucking wet." He commented as he drew his finger away and settled himself between her thighs.

She let out a sharp gasping moan as he buried himself inside, pushing in deep right away. He pressed his lips against hers as he began to set a steady pace. Her fingertips pressed hard against his hand that still held both of hers pinned above her head, he knew trying to free them. He released them with a sharp nip against her bottom lip and immediately felt her nails sink into his shoulders as she began bucking her hips to meet his thrusts.

"Harder." She moaned as her thumbs rolled down across his pecks.

He responded with a grunt as he slammed harder and deeper into her, his balls thwacking against her ass.

Her moans filled his ears as he kept a steady, hard rhythm, his hand fisting through her hair, pulling it hard. "Oh Christ." She moaned knowing she was going to be left sore.

"You close?" He graveled breathing hard, knowing he couldn't hold out much longer.

"Yeah, nearly." She gasped trying hard to chase the orgasm that was right on the cusp of explosion but seemed so far away.

"Come for me Kate." He growled trying desperately to hold his load as he felt his balls tighten.

"I'm close, so fucking close." She whimpered her voice dripping with an edge of ecstasy.

"I can't hold back much longer babe."

"Slow down, deep and hard." She choked out between gasps.

He obliged, slowing his pace and sinking deep and hard into her, her gasps growing high pitched as her burning insides electrified to a screaming crescendo. Satisfied that she continued his slow and hard thrusts and finally allowed himself come, grunting with the intensity.

He slid from her and rolled off her to his back breathing hard, pulling the condom from his dick and tossing it aside. She rolled to her side and traced her finger down his torso, her fingers lingering at the base of the serpent where it curled around his navel. She grinned devilishly up at him as he placed a hand at the small of her back and pressed his lips against her forehead.

She traced her fingers down his torso and continued down to the clearly defined v cuts and then to his now flaccid cock.

"Christ Kate." He moaned as she began to work it in the palm of her hand. "You know I'm not as young and fit as you right?"

"I'll bet that's never stopped you before." She murmured as she raised herself up and began kissing a trail down his body, moving lower until she was at his thighs, her hand still masturbating his cock.

"Fuck Kate!" he growled as her lips closed around him.

Before he knew it he was spilling more than he thought he had left down the back of her throat, a low grunt escaping him.

She bit her lip as she prowled back over him. "You still worried about not being able to keep up with me?" She murmured.

"Nah babe. Let's go take a shower."

* * *

 **A/N: So there's been a number of things i've been procrastinating over regarding my work at the moment to the point I had to promise myself I wasn't going to update any of my stories till they were done! So exam passed! Final assessment forthcoming but all my side done ... so i reward myself with this update! and hopefully update of one or more of my other stories in the next few days or so. :-)**


	21. Chapter 21

21/

"So what is this likely to be about?" Kate asked as she got off Happy's bike in the Charming lot.

"Like I said, Clay wants to know what went on overseas. Just tell him what happened and what you agreed to."

"It's going to have a bearing on whether or not he shuts down the charter isn't it?"

"Probably." He said pulling off his riding gloves and stashing them in his kutte. He draped his arm around her shoulders and led her across the lot to the clubhouse.

She couldn't help but feel a little dubious at being here again under such different circumstances and this time clearly closer to Happy.

"Hey Hap." Tig greeted from the bar as they entered the clubroom. "We expected you a little sooner."

"Kate's not quite the seasoned rider." Happy answered him, casting a smirk in Kate's direction. "Where's Clay?"

"Chapel with Jax." Tig answered clearly eyeing Kate up and down. "He said to go straight in when you get here." Tig added failing to hide his obvious perusal of Kate.

Happy raised his eyebrows at the Charming Sergeant at Arms. "Keep you hands off my girl." He said as he headed to the closed chapel doors.

"So Hap's staked a claim on you?" Tig asked as Happy disappeared behind the double redwood doors.

Kate raised her eyebrows in much the same way Happy would with a smirk. "I seem to remember telling you, you weren't my type."

"Your sassy enough to be Hap's girl." He countered her.

She smiled. "What can I say? I had to be to get through life back home."

He raised his eyebrows and smiled back. "You want a drink or something?"

"Nah. I'm good thanks." She answered, as Happy opened the chapel doors again.

"Kate, Tig. In here." He said watching Kate's eyes flick toward him with trepidation. She saw the encouragement he tried to convey to her as she approached.

He pulled out a chair for her and watched her sit.

"Kate. Good to see you again." Clay greeted her from where he sat at the head of the large redwood table.

"Yeah, you too." She said quietly casting a small smile across to Jax who sat opposite her and nodded toward her in greeting with a smile of his own.

"So Happy tells us you agreed to marry your ex to keep yourself off the stand." Clay said cutting right to it.

She nodded.

"That for your benefit or his?" Clay asked.

"A bit of both I suppose." She answered.

"From my understanding he's looking at a sentence of seven years for manslaughter and if you take the stand and stat rape comes up he could be hit with an additional ten years?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah."

"And of what consequence is that to you?"

"None what so ever. We've been somewhat estranged for over a year and I have no intention of remaining married to him."

"Kate either way he's going away for a long time if he's convicted. In my opinion it makes no difference whether you marry him or not. It's just another way for them to try to regain the control over you that they've clearly lost since you've been here."

"You think it was a mistake to send me here?"

"I do. I don't think they ever anticipated the impact it would have on you or that it would backfire against them in the way that it has."

"We think," said Jax entering the conversation, "that they are more aware of your relationship with Happy than they let on to you. They see that their only way of keeping you in Australia is by forcing you to marry your ex."

"They won't make it easy to divorce him, Kate." Happy said from beside her.

"So I get the impression that you are all fighting for me to stay here?" Kate asked.

"I have no choice but to disband the charter Kate, therefore you would be free to go wherever you want which I'm guessing is here." Clay informed her.

Kate nodded slowly. "Have you told my father that yet?"

"No. In order to keep you safe we won't inform them until after the trial. If you're required to be there for it and they know they no longer have a charter who knows what they'll do to keep you there." Clay answered.

"Okay." Kate said, "so your recommendation is that I don't marry him which means I can be extradited to appear at his trial?"

"Correct." Clay confirned.

"And what if what I have to say goes against him? That's not going to go down well with any of them."

"That's why you won't be going alone. Happy will accompany you again as will Kozik and Jax this time also."

Kate let out a breath she wasn't aware she had been holding and bit her lip. She knew that Clay would not spare three of his men if he didn't think it absolutely necessary and it was in that moment that she understood the enormity of the situation she was in and the risk both Charming and Tacoma were taking in trying to keep her here where she wanted to be.

"Thank you Clay. I appreciate it." She said quietly, yet sincerely.

"Don't mention it Kate. It's the way family and the club are supposed to work." Clay responded.

She gave a small smile. "Is it okay if I go call my grandparents? I'd like to give them the heads up that things may get a little messy."

"No problem Kate. Use the phone behind the bar."

"Thanks." She said quietly as she got up to leave the chapel.

* * *

"How'd your chat with your grandparents go?" Happy asked her as they lay together later that night.

"Yeah okay. Nonna is convinced that my dad won't do anything to drag them into it."

"You think she's right?" He asked as she traced her fingers across his tattoos.

"Probably. He never has before, but who knows where his blame will fall when he finds out his charter is getting shut down."

"More than likely on you." He said.

"Is that why I'm getting three of you to protect me should I get called back?" She asked suspecting there had been more in depth conversation concerning her situation after she'd left their chapel that afternoon.

"Yes Little Lady. It puts you in a very precarious position."

She let his words fall unanswered between them as her fingers continued to trace his tattoos down and across to his hip. As they brushed across the smiley tattoos it occurred to him that she had never been afraid of him; that she was probably completely unaware of his role within the club. He realized it was a side of him that he didn't want her to discover as her gaze fell upon the six smiley faces her fingers traced across, three of them beginning to fade and the other three seemingly newer and fresher.

She glanced up and met his gaze with the intention of asking about them; they seemed so different to all the others that covered his body. She saw a darkness fall across his eyes and immediately thought better of it. She wasn't as naive about the ways of the club as he might think; she knew the world they lived in was one of crime and violence not unlike the club back home. She knew despite how dearly she had held Jason close, that he had done terrible things in the name of the club and she suspected that Happy was no exception to that either. She was aware that the words tattooed around his collarbone probably held more meaning for him than simply being a bunch of empty words. She guessed that there was a dark and sinister meaning behind those tattoos and many of his others.

In that moment as their gaze met she understood there was a darker side to him that he would probably never share with her. She knew that he was one of their most feared members and that she ought to be afraid of him but instead she admired the intense loyalty he had for his club and those important to it. She had no doubt that he would do anything to protect those closest to him and she knew that extended to herself.

She raised herself up to rest her arms upon his chest. "So what happens now?" She asked.

He knew what she referred to. "Now we wait for you to get called back home."

"And in the meantime what does that mean for us?" She asked.

"It means we continue on as we have been. We'll head back to Tacoma tomorrow and I'll start your cover up when your ready and I guess seeing as your sticking around you should probably move into my place rather than continuing to live out of the clubhouse."

She nodded with a small smile. "I guess I have to figure out permanent residency and stuff too. I'm only on a tourist visa."

"How long's it cover you for?"

"A year from when I first came here."

"We got plenty of time to figure that out then." He said absentmindedly running his hand up the small of her back.

She smiled as his fingertips tickled over her spine. "For what it's worth Hap, I'm kind of flattered that you want to ink your name on me."

"You should be. I never thought I'd take an old lady until you showed up." He said as his hand continued it's trail, reaching her shoulder and brushing her hair back over it. He pressed his fingers into the back of her neck, bringing her lips to meet his. He knew in that moment that he would do anything for her, a feeling that he had never before admitted to when it came to a woman.

* * *

 **A/N: So just a heads up that this may be the last update for a while. I have a large portion of this story that follows on from here that I'd like to get written all at once rather than writing chapter to chapter as I have been doing. Also the next update when I do get it up is likely to jump ahead in time, perhaps a few months. Thank you as always for the reviews, follows, faves on this story. It really means a lot. Until next update which I will try hard to make not too far away ... Happy reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: So as stated at the end of the last chapter this update jumps ahead but not as far forward as I first thought. It has been a little more than a month where the last chapter left off so without further ado ...**

 **22/**

 _ **February 19th, 2007.**_

Kate rolled to her side to find the bed beside her empty. She sighed. She'd grown used to waking up alone with Happy being the sort to rise early. He claimed that he preferred to allow her to sleep but he'd grown distant in other ways over the past month. She knew she'd been no party to be around though. She'd been just as moody as him in many ways as her anxiousness regarding Barry and his impending trial grew.

She rose and dressed and made her way out to the Tacoma clubroom expecting to find it in it's usual hive of activity but instead it was empty of everyone except Kozik, who stood behind the bar pouring himself coffee.

"Where is everyone?" She asked as he pulled out a mug to fill for her.

"Out on a run. Should be back in a few days."

"Oh. Happy as well?" She asked a little surprise that he hadn't mentioned anything to her.

"Yeah Happy as well."

"Nice of him to mention it to me." She said drily as she accepted the mug of steaming hot coffee he pushed across the bar toward her.

"He didn't tell you?"

"Nope. I guess it slipped his mind." She scowled.

"Are you and he okay?" Kozik asked, concern evident on his face.

"Yeah. We're fine Koz. He just doesn't fill me in on club stuff all that often."

Kozik nodded. "He's always been fairly close lipped about that kind of stuff but I would have thought he'd let you know when he's gonna be gone for a few days."

"Yeah well I guess his tattoo on my hip doesn't mean that much."

"Kate he cares about you, probably even loves you. He wouldn't have added his name to your cover up if he didn't."

"He certainly has a unique way of showing it sometimes." She said as her phone began to buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out hoping it would be Happy. Maybe he'd been called out early and hadn't wanted to wake her to tell her how long he'd be away.

Instead her breath caught in her throat as she saw the number displayed in the screen. She reached across the bar and grabbed Kozik's hand as she answered.

"Dad?" She said down the phone by way of greeting.

"Good news? What is it?" She asked casting her eyes toward Kozik whose hand she gripped.

"Oh my god. He has? So what does that mean now?"

"Wow. That's great news Dad."

"No. I still want to stay here Dad."

"I told you why Dad. It's too painful back there now."

"Alright, but I'm not changing my mind."

"Okay Dad. Bye." She said dropping the phone from her ear.

"What's going on?" Koz asked as Kate ended the call.

"Barry was acquitted. His trial was thrown out of court due to lack of evidence."

"Wow that's great Katie." Kozik said clearly happy for her.

"Yeah it is but he still wants me to come home. He assured me that everything was smoothed over and it's safe there now."

"But you still don't want to move back?"

"No. There's nothing there for me now, but he sounded more relaxed and okay with that than I've heard him in a while."

"You know Clay is still gonna shut them down right?"

"Yeah. His tune will sure change when he hears that." She said with a sigh.

"I guess he'll let Charming know about the change in circumstances."

"Yeah I spose he will. What does it mean for them though once the charter gets closed down."

"It means they're no longer affiliated with the Sons. They can continue to operate but without the reaper as their helm."

"I guess that's not all bad."

"No. I don't spose."

"And what about me? How do I go about being allowed to stay here?"

"You can either extend your visa or apply for a green card I guess."

"And how do I go about that? Hap won't talk about it."

"Easiest way is if someone sponsors you. Like a family member or a spouse."

"Well technically my dad is still an American citizen but he's not likely to once he hears his charter is getting shut down and the only other family member who could have is Uncle Wally but he's dead like the rest of my family." she said drily. "And I don't have a spouse unless Hap wants to marry me." She continued.

Kozik grinned that bright big smile of his before responding. "If he turns ya down I'd be happy to help you out there."

Kate laughed and punched his arm playfully. "You know that's not gonna happen Koz."

"Yeah I do. A man can still dream can't he?" He said with the same big grin.

"You never fail to make me smile Koz." She said with a small laugh as she returned his smile.

"I aim to please Katie." He said with a grin as he refilled his coffee mug.

* * *

"Hey Little Lady." Happy said upon entering his house several days later.

"Where the fuck have you been?" She answered him. He hadn't called to tell her how long he'd be gone or even where he'd been and that pissed her off.

"Well hello to you too." He said as he crossed to the kitchen.

"So you gonna answer my question?" She asked rising from the sofa as she flicked off the television.

"Got called down to Charming to sort through all your father's shit." He answered opening the fridge and pulling out a beer.

"How come you didn't take me?" She asked.

"Didn't concern you this time, being that the charges against your ex have been dropped they can't make you go back."

"You know about that?"

"Course I do. Clay told me the morning I left."

"Wait. So my idiot father told Charming before he told his own daughter?"

"Guess so."

"And you just up and fucked off without telling me about it or where you were going?"

"I didn't wanna wake you and I knew he'd call you soon anyway."

"But still you were gone for four days Hap! You didn't think to call me and tell me where you were?"

"Look Kate, I don't know what you think this is but I don't have to explain to some chick where I am all the time."

"You don't know what this is? I'll tell you what this is Hap! You tattooed your name on my hip. You told me I was more or less your old lady. That means you owe me a certain level of respect. I'm not just some chick you have to explain stuff to! I don't give a damn what it is you do everyday but if you're going to just piss off every so often I'd like to a least know where you are."

He raised his eyebrows at her and slid a second beer across the counter towards her. "Drink this. You need to chill out."

She glared at him and shook her head. "Fuck off Happy. You've been such an ass since we came back here." She said turning on her heel and leaving the room in a huff. He heard his bedroom door slam and wondered what had gotten into her.

He supposed that in a way she was right. Perhaps she did deserve to know where he was if he was going to gone for a while. And she wasn't just some chick. He cared about her didn't he? He wouldn't have tattooed his name on her otherwise. He'd never before her thought he'd take an old lady and he'd quickly become complacent, expecting that she'd stick around no matter what he did.

He placed his now empty beer bottle down on the counter and headed toward the bedroom only to hear the trickling of the shower in the adjoining bathroom. Without a word he stripped off his clothes and stepped in behind her, running his hands down her hips as he placed a kiss on the top of her head.

"I'm sorry Kate. I should have at least told you where I was." He said to her back.

"Yeah you should have." She said not turning around and trying to resist the way his hands stroking her hips made her insides burn.

"I care about you Kate and you're more than just some chick." He said his voice seeming loud in his own ears as he got closer than he ever had before to admitting his feelings for her.

"I should hope so being that your name is now permanently etched into my skin." She said allowing him to turn her to face him.

"I love you Kate." He said, the words tumbling from his lips before he could think further about them.

Her breath caught in her throat and she bit her lip as she gazed up at him hardly believing she'd just heard those words uttered from Happy Lowman's lips. "I love you Happy." She said quietly back.

He lowered his lips to hers as she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. He hoisted her into his arms and pressed her back against the shower wall. She gasped as he wasted no time burying himself in her.

"You're not wearing a condom." She choked out as he slammed relentlessly into her.

"I'll pull out." He rasped.

She nodded, biting her lip and trusting him to do so.

"Oh Christ Hap." She murmured, raking her nails across his shoulders as he pounded into her harder than ever before. She threw her head back and allowed her catastrophic orgasm to rip through her as his thrusts continued to press her hard against the wall behind her.

"Oh Fuck Kate." He grunted as he pulled from her and allowed her to slide down the wall, his semen coming out in long hot spurts that dribbled down her belly as he came on her.

She bit her lip and gazed up at him, her eyes still drunk with pleasure. "Maybe we should fight more often Hap." She murmured, pulling his lips down to meet hers.

He raised his eyebrows at her as he drew away. "You like it rough and dirty don't ya?"

"Aha. Maybe I need to get out some of my toys next time."

"Maybe you do." He said placing a kiss on her forehead before he stepped out and left her to wash his juices from her skin.

* * *

She joined him in the kitchen afterward and watched him make his way around it, preparing she knew not what.

"So has my dad been told about the charter being shut down yet?" She asked as she took a seat at one of the bar stools that stood beside his kitchen counter.

"Not to my knowledge. Clay was gonna break it to him in a few days." He answered as he pulled a wooden spoon from the drawer in front of him.

"No doubt he'll find a way to blame me for it." She said with a sigh.

"More than likely but you're safe from him here." He answered her reassuringly.

She nodded slowly. "So what are you making?" She asked watching him stir the slowly bubbling pot on the stove.

"Chicken and Spanish chorizo hot pot."

"Wow. Listen to you all domesticated." She teased.

He smiled over his shoulder at her. "It's Ma's recipe."

"Am I gonna get to meet her sometime?" She found herself asking.

"Yeah. Maybe." He said in a very non committed way as he turned back to the stove.

Kate sighed. "You know I meant what I said before Hap? You've been such an ass since we got back here when you were actually bordering on sweet while we were in Australia."

"You haven't been a picnic yourself Little Lady." He countered her.

She sighed again knowing his words were true. "I'm sorry Hap. I know I haven't been easy to live with but hopefully now we can begin to make things normal."

"Maybe we can." He said turning away from the stove and coming across to stand at the counter she sat beside. "Kate, you know that this club and all it's charters over here aren't all that different to your club back home right?"

"I'm aware of that Hap."

"And you know that there is no normal about it right?"

"Hap, I meant normal as in the world my whole life has been embroiled in. Life in the club is a different kind of normal."

He nodded seeing her point. "I guess you're right. Let's get passed whatever happens when your father's charter gets shut down and then normal it is."

She smiled a sweet warm smile at him and he found himself smiling back, glad that this young and broken princess from another land had crashed into his world.

* * *

 **A/N: So Barry's trial has been thrown out of court but the drama is not over yet. I have mapped out the next few chapters and things are set to get rocky! Only alluded to in this chapter is the fact that Happy and Kate's relationship has been fraught. With the stress her situation has put them both in they've been struggling to deal with it and I guess in a lot of ways Kate is very emotionally closed off like him, with her brother previously being her main confidant. But by the close of this chapter they have mended their rift and are in a good place.**

 **Also a word on guest reviews: While I welcome them, I moderate them with good reason. I have in the past received some guest reviews for some of my stories that while they weren't nasty or critical they were kind of crude and unneccesary and I at that point decided to set them up to moderate and I am glad I did. If I guest review offends me in any way I won't hesitate to delete it. I received a pretty horrible and just plain pointless guest review on this story a couple of weeks ago. While I welcome any comments or constructive criticism on this and any of my stories if you don't have anything nice to say then please keep it to yourself and if you feel the need to tell me my story is shit then I'd suggest you go read something else. :-)**

 **As always thank you for your reviews and words of support on this story. They are greatly appreciated and help to keep it moving along and to answer a couple of questions that came up in reviews of the last chapter at this point in time I do plan on continuing the storyline to line up with the show. Also without giving away too much tensions may rise between the two main brothers of this story but it was never going to be a smooth road ...**


	23. Chapter 23

23/

 _ **February 21st, 2007**_

Kate groaned as she reached to grab her phone from where it buzzed persistently on the nightstand for the second time. She glanced at the caller display already suspecting who it would be at this early hour.

"Does he know yet?" She asked Happy who lay beside her before she answered the call.

"More than likely." he said with a yawn as he rolled to his side to face her.

"Hey Dad." She finally answered and quickly held the phone away from her ear as her father's furious tirade began.

"Dad it's not my fault that your charter got shut down." She said when she had a moment to get a word in. "You made sure that was going to happen when Mum and Ivy were killed."

"No Dad I had absolutely nothing to do with it." She snapped.

"What the hell does it matter why I'm so hell bent on staying here?" She questioned shortly.

"I still have absolutely no intention of marrying him or moving back to Australia."

"I want to stay here Dad. I'm happy here." She said resolutely feeling Happy's hand trace along her bare hip.

"I know I'll have to come back briefly Dad but I'm not staying." She said firmly.

"I wasn't expecting you would sponsor me or support me staying here."

"That's for me to figure out Dad." She said with a sigh.

"Fine. I'll let you know and talk to you then." She said before ending the call.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly before placing her phone aside and rolling to face Happy.

"He was pissed?" Happy asked knowing it was a question he didn't need to ask. He'd heard half of Len Grazer's tirade on the other end of the line.

"Yeah. Super and I get the feeling he's not done with blaming me for it. He refused to sponsor me staying here on a green card but then I knew he would."

"We'll figure out a way to keep you here babe." he said running his hand along her back.

"Thanks Hap." She said quietly.

"So why've you gotta go back?" Happy asked.

"Rent's up on my apartment. I need to clear it out and transfer all my finances and stuff." She answered.

Happy sighed. "You're not going alone."

"I wasn't planning to. I'm guessing I'm in just as much danger going back now as I would have been had the trial gone ahead?"

"Yeah. I'll talk to Lee, Clay too. See what we can do about keeping tabs on you." he said as he rolled out of the bed and headed toward the bathroom.

Kate sighed at his sudden shortness and watched his back disappear as he closed the door.

* * *

 _ **February 23rd, 2003**_

"So Kate, when we touch down you go nowhere without either Happy or Kozik with you." Clay outlined with a glance toward the two Tacoma brothers who sat either side of her. "Jax will remain with me making sure your father does everything that needs to be done to cut ties with the club."

Kate nodded from where she sat once again in the SAMCRO chapel. They were set to head to LAX International later that afternoon to get a red eye flight direct to Melbourne.

"Your focus is to take care of your affairs and sort out anything you need to, to permanently move here. Do your best to stay off the club's radar and especially out of the way of your ex and we'll do our best to keep you safe and away from them."

"Am I allowed to see my Dad?" She asked.

Clay thought for a moment. "Only if we're all there with you. I have no idea what he is capable of given the circumstances."

Kate nodded again. "Thank you. He might blame me for this but he is the only immediate family I have left. I'd like to at least tell him goodbye properly."

Clay nodded. "Thanks Kate. You can leave now." He said and watched the young blonde girl rise from her seat and leave his chapel.

She bit her lip anxiously as she closed the chapel doors behind her and entered the SAMCRO clubroom. She knew they were discussing the finer details of their trip downunder; etails she was not privy to. She looked around the room in front if her and accepted the fact that it and the Tacoma clubroom were already beginning to feel more like home than any other place ever had in her life. She drew in a deep breath and met eyes with Gemma who sat across the room. She approached the matriarch and started up a conversation hoping to distract herself from the growing anxiousness that welled inside her.

* * *

Len Grazer stood, his eyes clouded with tears as he watched all evidence of his club go up in smoke before him. His leather and that of his brothers, all banners and other paraphernalia that held the reaper on it burned in the oil barrel before him. He knew this had to be done; that Clay Morrow himself was on his way out to make sure it was done.

He sighed and squeezed his eyes shut at the thoughts running through his head, admitting perhaps for the first time to causing everything that had seen his club slowly unravel before his eyes. He knew his daughter's words were right. He had failed to protect his family and he understood her decision to stay in the US. He understood that she felt safer among the American brothers he'd tasked to take care of her when he couldn't and that being here was difficult for her without Jason. Hell he hated himself for doing that to her but there had been no other way or so he'd thought. He only prayed now, knowing that she too was on her way out here, that she never learned the truth.

He pushed his thoughts from his mind as he turned to step inside his now stripped clubhouse.

* * *

 **A/N: Only a short update this time but it's a necessary one before things get a little crazy. I felt it stood better on it's own rather than tacking it onto a longer update. So please let me know what you think and hold on as revelations and family secrets are about to come exploding out ...**


	24. Chapter 24

24/

It was with angst and trepidation that Kate stepped out of the plane and into Tullamarine Airport. She welcomed Happy's arm thrown around her shoulders as he led her through customs and bit her lip as she spied Wombat waiting to escort Clay and Jax to the clubhouse.

"Kate." He greeted her.

"Wombat." She acknowledged him, hiding the smirk from her face on seeing how intimidated he appeared in the presence of SAMCRO.

"Clay Morrow." Clay said offering his hand to the hulk of a man in front of him who suddenly appeared a foot shorter. "My VP and son Jackson Teller," Clay continued as Jax offered his hand. "Kozik, Sergeant of Arms for SAMTAC and I believe you've already met Happy."

Wombat nodded his acknowledgment toward Happy and didn't fail to notice his arm draped around Kate's shoulders and raised his eyebrows at her. "Finally admitting to something Kate?"

"I'm not keeping any secrets this time Wombat." She answered pointedly.

He narrowed his eyes at her in a slightly menacing way. She raised one eyebrow back at him as if accepting a challenge. She knew that the club didn't need anything extra thrown at it right now but she also knew that she wasn't prepared to let sleeping dogs lie should Wombat try to pull anything over her in regard to revealing her relationship with Happy to her father.

"Behave Little Lady." Happy murmured quietly to her, flicking his toothpick to the corner of his mouth.

"I will." She murmured back glancing up at him momentarily.

"Let's head out." Clay said taking control. "Hap, Koz, eyes on her always." He said very pointedly, to which the two men nodded their acknowledgment.

Kate didn't fail to notice how intimidated Wombat appeared to be by the SAMCRO president as Happy and Kozik led her from the airport.

* * *

After checking in to a hotel, Happy and Kozik spent the majority of the afternoon packing up Kate's apartment for her while she spent the time on the phone transferring her finances and canceling utilities and anything else listed in her name in Australia.

"Jesus Christ Hap." Kozik declared as he opened Kate's closet. "You're one lucky fuckin' man." he commented as his eye fell across the remainder of Kate's lingerie collection.

Happy smirked. "The best of that is already in the states brother."

Kozik shook his head and let out a low wolf whistle before he spoke again. "She want any of this stuff?"

"Not sure why don't you go ask 'er?" Happy countered him with a smirk, knowing that despite their declared platonic relationship Kozik still had it bad for Kate.

"Ask me what?" Kate asked entering the room and seeing it nearly stripped bare of all her belongings.

"If you … ah … want any of this stuff?" Kozik asked, not being able to help the blush that rose to his cheeks.

"Ha." Kate laughed. "Nah, I already took everything I wanted with me. I think I'll donate it back to work if you wanna box it all up for me Koz." She said smirking at the blush that continued to rise over his cheeks.

"Yeah sure." He answered as she moved to Happy's side.

"You got everything sorted?" Happy asked her as he slid his arm around her waist.

"Yeah. I think so. I just need to organize to get some of this stuff shipped and then I've organized for a local charity to come and pick up the rest."

Happy nodded as his cell rang. He fished it out of his pocket and immediately answered with his customary "Yeah."

"You're ready for us?" he asked.

"Yeah, we're done here. Kate wants to drop some stuff in at her old work and then we'll be on our way."

"We're about an hour away."

"Yeah I'll bring it." he said cutting the call off.

"Clay's ready for us at their clubhouse Koz." Happy said turning to watch his brother place the last of Kate's lingerie into a box.

"Right so we should head out then."

"Yeah." Happy said heading to his bag that he'd left on a chair that sat beside Kate's bedroom door. She watched as he pulled out what she knew to be his tattoo gun and inks.

"What do you need them for?" She asked, not sure that she wanted to hear the answer.

"Blacking out any club tattoos they have." Happy answered.

"Jesus. You guys are fucking hardcore when it comes to cutting someone from the club aren't you?"

"Failure to remove them earns a harsher penalty." Happy said.

"Which is?" She asked going noticeably pale.

"Blow torch."

"Jesus Christ. I did not need to know that." She said feeling slightly nauseous as she headed toward her front door, Kozik and Happy behind her.

* * *

Kate sat on a sofa in the clubroom beside Kozik, watching as Happy blacked out Barry's tattoos, having already done her father's and Wombat's. Clay and Jax stood behind Happy, one on either side of the door blocking it should either man try to leave.

The mood in the room was heavy, morbid even as if someone had died and Kate supposed in a way that a part of each of the Australian men in the room had.

Kate saw the expression on Happy's face harden as he came to the part of Barry's back where she knew her name was tattooed. "She still forever in your heart?" he growled quoting the words inked beneath it.

"Always." he answered, grimacing as Happy pressed deeper momentarily in anger.

"Keep my name there Hap." Kate piped up from the sofa. "Let him keep it there knowing that he'll never have me again."

Happy glanced up and met Kate's gaze and liked the calculating look he saw. He nodded raising one eyebrow as he flicked his toothpick to the corner of his mouth.

"So who is gonna get you now Kate?" Wombat asked from where he sat at a bar table across the room.

Kate turned and glared in his direction.

"C'mon Kate," Wombat continued, "You said no secrets this time around." he egged her on she knew incredibly bitter over what he was being forced to endure.

"Yeah I did Wombat. Are you sure you want to be having this conversation?"

"Fuckin' cool it you two." Said Len, where he sat nursing a scotch glass at the bar. "Wombat I wasn't born yesterday. I know Lowman is the reason she's insisting on leaving here."

Kate whipped her head around to face her father. "You do?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah." Len answered watching Happy pause in his blacking out of Barry's tattoos. "Why else did that little exchange between the two of you over your name on him take place?" Len asked, watching the anger in Barry's eyes rise.

"You know how long it's been going on?" Wombat asked still looking to prod Kate's anger.

She glared at him. "This isn't your story to tell Wombat and whatever is going on between myself and Happy is none of your concern."

"It is when you're fucking around on a brother Kate." he answered surprising her with how level headed he was remaining.

Kate changed her line of vision to meet Barry's eyes and immediately wished she hadn't. "How long?" he questioned her in a low guttural growl.

"It doesn't matter." She answered, seeing in his eyes that he was about to snap.

"I can answer that one Baz," Wombat said from across the room. "She was fucking him while you were in lockup before Jas' funeral."

In one fluid movement Barry pushed Happy away from his back and stood, the chair he was sitting backwards on crashing to the floor in front of him as he launched himself across the room toward Kate. Kozik flew to action and intercepted him before he could make contact with her, Happy hot on his heels to hold him back also. Jax and Clay moved forward to hold back the other two men in the room.

"You fucking cheated on me?" Barry growled struggling hard against the hold Kozik and Happy had on him.

"No Barry I didn't! I made it perfectly clear that I wanted nothing to do with you. Hell you even went along with it when I alluded that there was somebody else while you were in prison."

"And then went and lied to my fucking face denying it once I was out?"

"Just cool it all of you." Len Grazer's voice rang out across the clubroom. "Kate I don't support the relationship you now clearly have with Happy but in saying that I'm not particularly surprised being the situation we put you in."

"Are you joking?" Wombat asked. "She betrayed this whole club and the trust we had in her, all in the name of keeping her safe."

"Betrayal?" Kate asked standing and turning on the hulk of a man. "You want to talk about betrayal Wombat? How about we bring up your past indiscretions against this club, specifically against your beloved president?"

"Kate don't ..." Wombat warned.

"What is this about Kate?" Len asked his eyes narrowing in on his former VP.

"Do you want to tell him or will I Wombat?" Kate asked menacingly.

"Kate don't ..." Wombat said again, seemingly in defeat now.

"Let's see. How old was I that first time Wombat? I think maybe about ten the first time I caught you both at it in her bed nonetheless?"

Len Grazer's eyes went wide with fury as his attention turned from his daughter to his former VP and back again. "Spell it out for me Kate. What exactly is it that you're telling me happened?"

"Wombat and mum were having an affair dad. Not just that one time but for years. Probably up until she died."

"You are no brother of mine. If this charter hadn't already been disbanded I'd excommunicate you on the spot, no vote needed. Get the fuck out of my clubhouse." Len growled in fury.

"I said get the fuck out!" Len yelled when the other man failed to move. Wombat rose and made his way to the door, everyone that remained in the room hearing his Harley start up shortly thereafter.

"Get the fuck off me." Barry growled shaking both Happy and Kozik off him. "I'm not fucking done with you bitch!" he growled toward Kate as he stalked from the room toward the dorms at the back.

If Kate was shaken by his words she didn't show it. "I'm sorry Dad. I never meant for you to learn of it that way." She said quietly approaching her father.

"It's not your fault Katelyn. I should have seen it. You were right. I've failed this club but not only that, I failed my family Kate, I failed you!"

"No Daddy. I know you did everything you thought was right to protect us, you just got in way too deep."

"I've taken your whole family from you Kate. I can't ever forgive myself for that."

"I can forgive you Daddy. I can't deny that life has been hard these last few months but I can forgive you for what happened. It wasn't you showered the house with bullets nor was it you who shot Jason." She said quietly noticing him flinch slightly at the last of her words.

"No Kate it wasn't but it was my poor decisions that led to those events." he said.

She couldn't counteract that. She knew his words were right.

"Get out of here Kate. Go live the life you deserve to." he said, his eyes awash with pain as his sat, his club and his brotherhood in tatters around him.

"Will you be alright Dad?" Kate asked.

"I'll be fine Kate. Go." he answered firmly.

"Okay then Dad. I love you."

"I love you too baby girl." He answered her. She closed her eyes and bit her lip momentarily. He hadn't called her that since she was a child.

"Goodbye Daddy." She said she knew with the eyes of the American sons on her, ready to escort her from the clubhouse.

"Goodbye Kate." He said quietly watching her walk toward the door, the men he knew had and would do a better job of protecting her, filing out behind her.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~0~

It was later that night that Clay received a phone call informing him that Len Grazer had been found at the head of his table, dead, with the pistol still in his mouth.

* * *

 **A/N: I thought it might be awhile before I got to this update but it wrote itself in my head when I couldn't sleep last night. My stupid insomnia does have it's benefits sometimes! So please let me know what you all think ...**


	25. Chapter 25

24/

Kate returned to the states with Happy and the others later that week, perhaps even more broken than she had been previously.

The months wore on and Kate's emotional state continued to crumble. More and more she gravitated toward Kozik, seeking his emotional support. Happy found himself not caring so long as it was his bed she shared each night.

He watched her deep in conversation with Kozik on one of the sofas in the Tacoma clubroom. For once tears weren't rolling down her face and he actually saw half a smile creep to her face. Even when they fucked she hardly ever smiled. He knew she was hurting and knew that despite Kozik pulling her emotionally from the carnage going on inside of her, she needed him also.

"Kate, you busy babe?" He asked approaching the pair.

"No not really." She answered glancing toward him.

"Go put jeans and boots on then. I'm taking you out for a ride." he said eying her skimpy shorts and tank top she wore as the weather began to warm.

"Okay." She said with a small smile, he knew glad that he was taking an interest in her other than in the bedroom, their relationship having taken on a purely physical aspect since they'd returned from Australia.

"Where you taking her?" Kozik asked as they waited for her to return.

"Outta this clubhouse. I'm sick of seeing her moping around it." Happy answered somewhat shortly.

"She's hurting bad Hap." Kozik said.

"Don't ya think I know that Koz? She cries herself to sleep most nights."

"Shit. I didn't know that."

"She might rely heavily on you for the emotional stuff Koz, but I know my girl and how much she's hurting."

"I don't doubt it Hap." Kozik said as Kate returned to the clubroom in jeans and boots, her leather jacket thrown over one shoulder.

"Where are we headed Hap?" she asked noticing the tension between the two men.

"Away from here for a while." He answered her as she followed him out into the Tacoma lot and towards his bike. He passed her the spare helmet that he and Kozik shared between them whenever they took her somewhere and waited for her to put it on and climb on behind him.

Once he felt her arms wrap around his waist he brought his bike to life and headed out of the lot towards the highway. It wasn't long before he turned off it and headed up a coastal road. Kate rested her head against his back watching the scenery fly by, the wind whipping through her hair.

He came to a stop by the side of the road and motioned for her to get off before leading the way down a small path to a clearing in the trees. "Wow." she murmured as she looked out across the water and back towards Tacoma.

"Nice eh?" Happy said from beside her as he sat down in the grass.

"Yeah. Real nice." She said sitting down beside him.

She rested her head against his shoulder as he pulled her toward him. "Why'd you bring me here Hap?" She asked.

"It' somewhere I like to come when I wanna clear my head of stuff." He answered her. "I know you've been struggling these last few months Kate and I know you've been relying heavily on Koz to help get you through, but I want you to know I'm here too."

She turned to face him. "I know you are Hap."

"Do you?" He asked doubtfully.

"What's this about Hap?"

"It seems we do nothing but fuck and then you cry. You do all your talking with Koz."

"Hap, I told you before I find him easy to talk to."

"What and you can't talk to me?"

"Yes Hap I can. I just often find you close off when it comes to emotional stuff and a lot of the time I do too. I think that's why I find Koz more helpful when it comes to the emotional stuff. He draws it out of me in a way that no one else can. And in a lot of ways he reminds me of Jas and the way I could tell him anything."

He ran his thumb down the side of her cheek and wiped away a lone tear that had begun to fall across it.

"I know you miss him Kate."

"More than you know. I guess in a way knowing that I'm the sole survivor of the Grazer family has brought it all back, how I felt last year when Dad told me he was gone. It's just me now Hap."

"You got me now Kate and Koz, and everyone else that frequents the clubhouse. They're all family."

A small smile spread across her lips at his words.

"You know I haven't seen you smile, like really smile, in months?" he said running his hand down her arm.

"Not a whole lot to smile about Hap."

"Yeah there is. There's making you're fresh start here and there's me and what I intend on doing with you once we're back at my place."

She smiled the same small smile again, "Well let's head back there then."

* * *

She lay content in his arms later that afternoon, the sex they'd just had far more intimate than any over the last few months. "That's where I connect emotionally with you Hap." She murmured as she traced her fingers around his tattoos.

He smirked at her in response.

"So about me staying here Hap..." She started and then trailed off.

"What about it?" He asked.

"My visa runs out in December and I want to figure out permanency sooner rather than later."

"You know you're welcome to stay living here with me and as far as your visa goes you can always renew it."

"But I was hoping to able to get a job and I can't do that on a tourist visa."

"You can always switch it to a work Visa."

"Or I could apply for a green card."

"How you gonna do that when you got no one who can sponsor you?"

"I can apply through marriage too." She said somewhat apprehensively.

"Kate I ain't the marrying type and I'm not gonna marry you just so you can stay in the country." He said.

"Fine. Well I guess I have to extend my visa then." She said shortly as she pushed herself away from him and headed toward the bathroom.

"Kate..." he called after her.

"Forget it Hap. Forget I even brought it up." She said knowing he could hear the tears in her voice despite her refusal to let them fall.

* * *

"Kate, you know why I can't marry you right?" He asked as they sat in the clubhouse later that afternoon.

"Yeah you said you're not the marrying type."

"It's not just that Kate. A green card marriage gets scrutinized from the word go to make sure we're legit. That's not the kind of heat the club can take."

"Whatever Hap. I get it. You don't wanna marry me." She said shortly.

"Don't think that it means I don't want you at all Kate. My name is still right here where I inked it." He said pulling her close and brushing his hand across her hip.

"Yeah. No chance you'll ever ink my name on you though is there?" She said brushing his hand aside.

"Kate, that's not the way we do things around here." he said as the clubhouse began to fill up with the guys beginning to arrive for church.

"Just go into church Hap." She said walking away from him she knew unnecessarily moody with him. Hell she hadn't expected for a second that he would agree to marry her so she could stay in the country; she wasn't even sure if that's what she even wanted but she hadn't expected him to brush her off the way he had earlier that day. His shortness had made her question everything they had and where they were headed. She even wondered whether she had been too quick to agree to have his name inked onto her.

"Everything okay with you two?" Kozik's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Yeah. Yeah, we're fine Koz." She answered she knew unconvincingly. "Don't you have church?" She asked watching the rest of the Tacoma charter disappear through the doors of the chapel across the other side of the room.

"Yeah. We can talk later if you want." He said meaningfully.

"It's okay Koz. I'm fine." She said knowing that despite her tendency to unload her emotions on him she'd never discuss any of the problems she and Happy had with him.

He rose and headed toward the chapel with the others his eyes lingering on her.

"You're gonna end up getting yourself in trouble with those two sweetheart." Grace Lorca said from where she sat at a table a short distance across the clubhouse.

Kate sighed. "I don't intend to Grace. They're both just so intensely jealous of the relationship the other has with me that it makes it hard."

"Don't expect that will ever become any easier Katie." Grace answered as Kate took a sit opposite her.

Kate sighed again. "Can I borrow your car Grace? I need to get out of here for a while."

"Sure." the older woman answered pulling her keys from her bag where it sat on the table between them. "You okay sweetheart?"

"Yeah. I just need to clear my head of a few things." Kate answered accepting Grace's keys from her.

"Don't be too long and make sure you have your phone or the two men in your life will worry once their out of chapel."

"Thanks Grace. I'll be fine." Kate smiled as she rose and made her way out of the clubhouse. She had on occasion borrowed the older woman's car in the last few months and had grown in confidence in driving over here. She needed to clear her head and rid herself of these feelings she was having that moving over here had been a huge mistake. She knew that her father's death and the way tangs had been left with the club back home was a huge part of it. She also knew that Happy's reluctance to commit to her wasn't helping either. Sure he'd inked his name on her and she knew that for him that was a huge deal but a number of times over the last few months when she'd voiced wanting him to get a tattoo for her he'd brushed it aside time and time again.

She found herself driving back to the lookout point that Happy had taken her to that afternoon. She had to admit the water, the clear view out across the bay and the now twinkling lights of Tacoma across it's other side was somewhat calming. She could see why he liked coming here.

She watched as the descending dusk gave way to darkness and began to wonder why she let his aloof nature get to her so much. She knew how he felt about her and she knew he was capable of telling her that when he needed to. Hell he had just today when he'd brought her here.

She didn't think anything of it when she heard the approach of what could only be a Harley in the distance. She assumed it was either Happy or Kozik come to track her down and find out if she was as okay as she tried to assure them, until she heard it come to a stop and realized it didn't have the same distinct sound she'd come to recognize as either of their bikes.

"Finally lost the tail Katie Bear." She heard Wombat gravel through the darkness.

Kate flew to her feet and turned to face him. "Wombat? What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Just cleaning up a few loose ends." He said as he moved toward her.

She backed away from him. "Don't fucking touch me Wombat."

He let out a long over dramatic sigh as he continued toward her. "You didn't really think we were going to let you get away that easily did you Kate?"

"We? You mean what's left of the club? Get away? Away from what?"

"Katie, Katie, Katie. Me and Barry were never gonna let you get away with what you caused to happen to the club and besides kiddo you still got his name on you. You'll always belong to him."

Kate couldn't help but smirk as she continued to back away. "That's where you're wrong Wombat. I had his name covered over."

She gasped as she lost her footing and he lunged for her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her effortlessly toward him and into a stronghold grip facing away from him. He tugged her shorts down her hip to gaze upon where he knew his brothers name had once been inked by his own hand.

"You little bitch." He growled as his eyes spanned across the intricate skull and rose design that sat now in it's place. One word etched below it made his blood boil, _Happy._ "Barry's gonna be spewin' when he finds out about this."

"Get off me Wombat." She cried desperately trying to get away from him.

"Quit struggling bitch." He said pulling her up from the bank and slamming her against the car she'd borrowed from Grace. He wrenched her arms behind her back and tied them with a rope she hadn't noticed he held in his hands.

He turned her to face him and pressed her up against the side of the car, his breath hot on her face as he brought his closer to hers. "You know I always wanted you right? Your mother was just the second choice when Barry snagged you?"

she pulled away from the grip he had on her hair and spat in his eye.

"Bitch." He growled pulling her from the side of the car and dragging her toward it's trunk. She squirmed as he fished around in her pocket to find the keys and unlocked the trunk once he pulled them out.

She screamed as he swept her off her feet and dumped her into it slamming the lid down.

"You asshole!" She screamed, kicking her feet out against the trunk closed above her. "Fucking let me out of here!"

"I found her." She heard him say presumably down his phone.

"Yeah. Bit more of a handful them we thought."

"Yeah. That's her you can hear." He said as Kate continued to kick and scream from inside the trunk.

"Alright Baz. I'll see you soon brother." He said flipping his phone shut.

Kate felt tears begin to sting her eyes as she continued her desperate and futile attempts to kick her way out of the trunk.

"Cool it in there Katie Bear. Barry will be here soon. I'll let you out then." She heard Wombat's voice as the trunk shook, as he no doubt jumped up to sit on it, lighting a cigarette.

He heard her screams turn to whimpers as she grew tired, and no doubt scared, as she began to give up.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: So I'm back! I'm all moved and loving our new house but have had no internet for near a month. Never fear though as I have still been writing and it has given me a chance to get ahead on most of my stories so expect a few updates in the coming weeks. I figured I'd get the ball rolling again on this one first being how I left it. Happy reading ...**

26/

It seemed like hours passed as the air in the trunk grew thin. Kate didn't know at what point she passed out but the next thing she was aware of was Barry's hand around her neck, his other slapping her awake.

"Hey there Cherub." He drawled as she came to. It didn't take Kate long to realize how drunk he was and knew that this wasn't going to go well. She grimaced as he grabbed and handful of her hair forcing her to face him from where she still lay in the trunk of Grace's car.

"You gonna say hello Cherub?" He asked when she didn't respond to his initial greeting.

"I wasn't planning on it." She spat back at him knowing that she was going to be treading on thin ice.

"Fine we'll play it your way Cherub." He said pulling her from the trunk and dropping her to the ground where he towered over her. She tried to scramble backwards away from him but made little progress with her hands still tied behind her back.

"So how did you think things were gonna go when I found out you cheated on me?" He asked dropping to a squat in front of her and grabbing her chin in his hand.

"I didn't cheat ass-hat. I made it clear I wanted nothing to do with you." She spat at him.

His other hand slapped her across the cheek again. "A bit of respect Cherub. Remember you're talking to a Son."

"You don't get to call yourself that anymore." she said her voice dripping with venom.

"Once a Son always a Son, Cherub." He answered her.

She couldn't help but scoff. "Did you miss the point of the little visit you had from them?"

He raised his eyebrows at her but gave little other acknowledgment of her words. "I know you must have fucked him before you let me know it was over. Was my ring still on your finger?"

"No it wasn't. I took it off and then he fucked me like you never could." she spat at him.

He grabbed a handful of her long blonde hair and pulled on it hard. "You always were such a little slut. I shouldn't be surprised you couldn't keep your clothes on given how easily you took them off for me that first time."

"You fucking groomed me Barry." She spluttered out close to tears, for the pain of the grip he had on her hair.

"Is that what we're calling it now?" He snarled pulling her to her feet and slamming her hard against the hood of Grace's car.

"What the hell is this about Barry? What do you want?" She sputtered trying hard to stay in control of the situation but knowing she was out of her depth, and hoping to hell that Happy or Kozik would show up soon to rescue her.

"What do I want? I already told you I wasn't done with you. You think you can cheat on me and get away with it?" He snarled pulling the waistband of her shorts down her hips.

"Let's not forget how many times you cheated on me." she growled back.

"Once an old lady, always an old lady Kate. You know that." he growled as unbuttoned his fly and forced himself upon her.

"Barry! Stop! Get off me!" She pleaded, whimpering as she felt him plow into her, her walls dry and unwelcoming.

"Jesus Kate, I bet your not this fuckin' dry for him eh?" He growled as he continued plowing into her in an effort to get himself off, all the while getting frustrated with her continued whimpering that was turning to screams now.

He dug his nails hard into the flesh at her hip clawing at Happy's name on her skin, where his name had once been, as he finally found his release and loosened his grip on her allowing her to slide down the hood and crumple to a heap at his feet.

"Are you done now?" She asked in a small defeated voice, looking up at him.

"Nah Katie. We're just getting started. Baz? You ready to do this?" Wombat asked approaching from behind the car, the shiny blade of a knife glistening in his hand.

"Sure am brother." Barry answered.

"Wait! Do what?" Kate asked, an element of fear finally in her voice as she tried hard to drag herself backwards away from the pair.

"What needs to be done Kate." Barry said easily grabbing a hold of her and dragging her back towards him. "Hold her down Wombat." He said in low guttural tone.

"For what?" Kate gasped as Wombat grabbed hold of her arms and pulled her back into a stronghold against him. "What are you doing?" She cried as Barry sat on her outstretched legs and took the knife from his brother's hand.

"This might hurt a little babe." He said bringing the knife down to the name inked on her hip.

"Barry! No! My god! Are you insane?" She screamed trying desperately to get away from the two men, her efforts futile.

"You watched on smugly as he blacked out my tattoos baby. Now it's my turn to remove yours." He said pressing the blade into her skin and slicing to remove the top layer and the ink within it.

Kate screamed loud, tears streaming down her cheeks as Wombat clapped his hand over her mouth in an effort to muffle her cries, her screams so loud they were still audible through his hand.

Kate felt near ready to pass out as she looked down to her hip and where Happy's name had been, a bloody mess now in it's place. She watched Barry through glazed eyes as he took the now removed piece of her skin and placed it into a zip lock bag.

"What are you gonna do with that?" She managed to mutter, through tears and pain and lightheadedness.

"I'm gonna send it to him as a reminder of you babe." Barry said in his low guttural tone. "Finish her off Wombat." he added moving away toward his bike.

Kate whimpered through her pain as Wombat pulled her to her feet. "Finish me off? What does he mean?"

"What do you think sunshine?" Wombat snarled.

"Wait? You're going to kill me?" She gasped.

"And the penny drops. You really think you could betray us the way you did and live to tell the tale Katie Bear?"

"Wombat, geez you're practically my fucking family." She pleaded.

"You've made it pretty clear that you don't see us that way anymore." he said as he dragged her down the embankment toward the bay as she heard Barry's bike start up.

"You're right. I don't." She spat at him. "And I haven't since you let Jason die!"

"You talk too much Katie bear." He said placing his hands around her throat.

She gasped and began to choke as Wombat's hands gripped tight around her neck, his thumbs crushing against her windpipe.

She heard the approach of more bikes, familiar bikes and tried desperately to hold on.

"Get the fuck off her!" She heard Happy's voice ring out across the night air and almost immediately the grip around her neck dropped and she crashed to the ground.

She coughed and sputtered trying desperately to get air back into her lungs as Kozik came to her side scooping her into his arms. "Jesus Katie. What the fuck did they do to you?" he said as his t shirt became drenched in her blood that trickled from her hip and he saw too, dripped down the inside of her thighs.

"Hap, she's in a bad way." Kozik said, as Kate lay slumped against him, her eyes closed and her breaths becoming more shallow.

"Then get her out of here while I deal with these sons of bitches." She heard Happy growl in a voice far more menacing and grim than she ever heard before, as she finally passed out in Kozik's arms.

* * *

"You were pregnant?" Happy asked as she lay against him several days later having been released from the hospital earlier that morning.

"Yeah. I lost it when they … when they did what they did to me." She said quietly, more broken than ever before.

"Who's kid?" he asked.

"Yours of course. Who's else could it have been?" she asked a little shocked at his words.

"I don't know. Koz's? Fuckin' Barry's?"

"You know I haven't fucked Kozik and I've been here for nearly four months Happy. I wasn't far enough along for it to be Barry's."

"We were always careful Kate. It couldn't have been mine."

"Then I guess I'm the Virgin Mary and it was an immaculate conception then Hap." She said dryly.

"You ain't no fuckin' virgin Kate."

"It's called sarcasm Hap. My point is take responsibility for the fact that it was your kid. There were a few times where you didn't use a condom and pulled out. All it can take is one drop."

"Yeah I guess. Well there ain't no kid anymore anyway."

"Jesus Happy! Your such an ass! Don't you think maybe I might be hurting over this?"

"You didn't even know you were pregnant till you lost it."

"So fucking what! Whether I knew or not I still lost our baby Hap." She said rising up on her elbows beside him and staring him down, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes.

"Yeah. Yeah I know babe." He said placing his arm around her and pulling her head back down to rest upon his chest. He couldn't bear to bring his eyes to rest upon the bandage at her hip, a skin graft in place of where his name had been inked, nor could he bear to think about everything else they'd done to her. He'd taken care of the fuckers. That's all he needed to think about.

"There's two more smiley faces here." She said quietly breaking the silence between them as she raised her head to meet his gaze, as a darkness fell across it. "What do they symbolize?" She dared to ask the question she'd almost been too afraid to ask before.

"You know the sort of shit the club is involved in and surely you're aware of my role within it." He answered her not wanting to spell it out to her, still wishing he could keep that part of him shielded from her.

"Why smiley faces?" She asked, he knew catching the meaning of his words as her fingers delicately brushed across the two freshest ones.

"It seemed fitting given my name." He answered.

"And these two. Are they?"

He nodded not needing her to finish asking the question and not knowing what her response was going to be.

"Thank you Hap." She said swallowing back tears again as she gazed upon him.

"You're welcome Little Lady." he murmured letting her head rest upon his shoulder once again.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading and please don't forget to review and let me know your thoughts!**


	27. Chapter 27

27/

"So how are you Happy dealing with everything that happened?" Kozik asked late one afternoon as they sat in the empty Tacoma clubroom.

"Not that great. He doesn't want to talk about it much."

"Cant say I blame him. It makes my blood boil thinking about what they did to you."

She gave a small sad smile in return. "You know that I was pregnant and lost the baby right?"

"Yeah. Hap mentioned it. I'm sorry Kate."

She smiled sadly again. "That's more than Happy could say."

"Look Kate I know he doesn't say much about how he's feeling but this has gotta be hard on him too."

"Yeah I guess so. I just wish he'd talk about it rather than blocking me out. It's like he just doesn't give a shit."

"He gives a shit Katie. He cares about you. So do I. Hell if we could've stopped them doing that to you ..."

"But then I'd still be pregnant with a baby that Hap probably doesn't want."

"Shit Kate you don't know that."

"No I don't spose I do but why does he have to be such an ass all the time?"

"There's a lot of stuff in his past that chances are he hasn't dealt with too well."

"So how is that my fault?"

"I'm not saying it is. It just goes to explain why he's so short tempered sometimes."

"And why he's an outright ass some of the time."

"Yeah."

"What sort of stuff?"

Kozik let out a heavy sigh. "Don't tell him that I told you any of this but his dad split when he was real young, left his mom to raise him. She tried real hard to fill the void but I don't think he ever really got over it or stopped blaming himself. From what I understand his mom was real strict but he loved her anyways, perhaps more than he's ever loved anyone. Despite her overbearing rules he fell in with the wrong crowd, and spent a lot of time growing up on the streets of Bakersfield getting up to no good."

"Drugs?"

"Nah. As far as I'm aware Happy has never touched anything. I mean theft and robbery, hell you name he'd probably done it before he was sixteen."

"So how'd he end up in Tacoma."

"He was following a girl. They were besotted with each other."

"So what happened to her then?"

"She died. Overdosed in fact because of me."

"Shit. And I'm guessing he blamed you for it?"

"Nah. He never did. Said it was her mess. She got herself hooked on drugs and it was the drugs that killed her. It was around the same time that all that shit went down with Tig's dog."

"So you're saying he never really dealt with her death and that's why he's so grumpy and aloof a lot of the time?"

"Perhaps. That's just my take on it. We both prospected with the Sons not long after and he threw himself into a world of booze and sweet butts and hasn't really looked back."

Kate nodded slowly taking his words in. "Do you think maybe I remind him of her? He's more of an ass to me that he is to anyone else lately."

"He's an ass to most women Kate. I meant it when I said he cares about you. That's probably the biggest reason he's not wanting to talk about any of it. He'd do anything to turn back the clock if it meant none of that shit happened to you."

"Well he can't. It's over with now and they can't do anything else to hurt me. He needs to deal with the fact that it happened and support me through the aftermath."

"That's just it Kate, chances are he blames himself for not being able to stop it from happening."

"Look Koz, no one knew they were here. Lord knows how they even got into the country."

"I know Kate but seriously we shouldn't have let you go running off on your own like that."

"You had no reason to tell me to stay put and let's be honest; I probably wouldn't have listened anyway."

"Nah I guess you wouldn't have."

"But seriously Koz, I can deal with what happened. I'm just glad it's over and I know Hap killed them so they're not gonna bother me again."

"He told you that?"

"Not in so many words but I know what those smiley face tattoos are for."

Kozik nodded. "And are you okay with that?"

"I always knew there was an element of danger to becoming involved with him, hell with all of you. My father's club back home and all the shit that dragged me through was a joke compared to everything I'm sure I have ahead of me with you lot. But the thing is Koz the reason my father failed was because he lost sight of the bigger picture and what was important to him. His loyalties were misplaced and he neglected to protect his family. That's where you guys a different; to you family is all part of it. Family comes first and my dad never got that; to him it was always the club first, family second."

"You know you have a pretty strong head on those shoulders Katie."

"Strong willed my mother would have said."

"Nothing wrong with that."

Kate gave a small smile in return. "Thanks Koz."

"What for?" he asked.

"For always listening when I download everything onto you."

He smiled. "No problem Katie." he said absentmindedly brushing a stray hair from her cheek. At that moment their eyes met and their gaze locked. Kate bit her lip as Kozik's face and lips drew closer to her own. Her heart raced in her chest in much the same way it did when Happy touched her. She let her eyes search his and saw nothing in them except want and desire.

Their lips were maybe a second apart when the clubhouse door swung open and they drew hastily apart.

"Hap called." Lee announced as he entered. "Charming needs more muscle."

"So they need me down there?" Kozik asked as he rose from the couch putting distance between himself and Kate, not knowing how much his president had seen.

"Yeah. You and Donut. Hap said to leave Kate here."

"And what if I wanna go?" Kate piped up.

"Shit's pretty messy in Charming right now Kate. Hap doesn't want you there."

"He doesn't get to make decisions for me. I do." Kate insisted.

Lee and Kozik exchanged a glance. "Fine." Lee said to an unasked question in his SAA's eyes. "Take her but don't expect Hap to welcome it."

* * *

"You know shit's real messy around here at the moment right?" Kozik asked as he pulled up in the Charming lot and backed his bike into a spot beside Donut doing the same.

"Yeah Hap mentioned before he left something about Jax's kid being born too early."

"Yeah that and a bunch of club stuff." He said as he placed his arm around her shoulders. She shuddered a little at the gesture as she thought back to the day before and how close he'd come to kissing her again.

They'd hardly spoken since and she was sure even Donut had picked up on the silence between them.

"Are we good Koz?" She asked quietly making him stop before they entered the Charming clubhouse.

"Yeah Kate. Why wouldn't we be?"

"Yesterday? And what nearly happened?"

"Look Katie it's no secret that I like you. And I think I'm right in assuming you still feel the same way."

She met his eyes and gave a small nod.

"With both now nothing can happen between us so let's just continue on as we have been okay?"

She nodded again. "Yeah okay."

"There's always so many people here." She mused as Kozik placed his arm around her shoulders and began leading her toward the clubhouse again.

"Yeah, being the mother charter Charming has more members than most."

"And more crow eaters than you can poke a stick at?" She asked casting her eye around the room as they entered.

Koz chuckled at her comment. With her accent fading he often forgot where she as from and it was comments like that that reminded him. "Something like that my Aussie gal." He smiled.

She smiled back as the clubhouse door swung shut behind him.

"Well hey there Doll!" Tig greeted the moment he saw her. "Wasn't expecting to see your pretty face around here today."

"Me either." Came Happy's gravelly reply from over her shoulder.

"Surprise." Kate said turning in his direction to see a red headed crow eater hanging from his arm.

"You were sposed to stay back in Tacoma."

"I got tired of staying put."

Happy shook the crow eater from his side and turned his attention to Kate. "You alright?"

"Fine Hap."

"You shoulda told me you wanted to come." He said pulling her from Kozik's side and leading her outside.

"It's not like you gave me the option. You told me you were coming down here and that was it."

He nodded. "Shit's messy here babe and I wasn't sure you'd be up for the ride down."

"Like I said I'm fine Hap. You sure that's all it was?" She asked suspiciously.

"What do ya mean?" He asked.

"You and that red head in there. You weren't about to do something with her were you?"

"Nah. She just hadn't got the message yet."

Kate raised her eyebrows at him still somewhat suspiciously.

"Seriously Kate! I wasn't gonna do anythin' with 'er I swear."

"Okay I believe you."

"Did you and Kozik get up to anything on your way down here?"

"No." She answered; she hoped with no hesitation. "You know I chose you."

"I know you still like him though."

"Maybe I do, but I'm not about to sleep with him." She said grumpily. "Why the hell can't you just get over it?"

"Same reason you're accusing me of bedding the red head."

"We haven't had sex in weeks Hap. I can't say I'd blame you to be honest."

"I haven't been with anyone else Kate. Not in Tacoma and not here."

"I guess that's good to know."

"What's with us Kate? What went wrong?"

"Oh gee I wonder Hap. I was kidnapped and raped by my ex. I lost our baby that you refuse to acknowledge existed and you've spent the last three weeks going back and forth to Charming rather than spend time with me."

"It's not like that Kate. Charming needed me. You know Jax's kid was born way too early cos of his junkie whore mom. There's been a lot of shit going on here that they needed help dealing with."

"Does that help involve more smiley faces?"

"Not always babe."

"Look Hap, I don't want us to be over but I'm not sure that I can keep going on the way we are."

"How do you mean?"

"I need more from you Hap. I need it to be more than just sex. I need emotion from you and I need to acknowledgment of what it is I'm going through."

"I took care of it babe. It's not gonna happen again."

"I know that Hap but I mean … well I'm not sure that I'm ready for sex after it all but well I need you. I need to know that you still want me."

"C'mere." He said pulling her to his side placing his arm around her waist. "Take all the time you need." He said placing a kiss on her forehead.

* * *

 **A/N: I know! I'm sorry it's been so long but with Christmas and new year and school holidays here in Oz life got in the way. But as always this story has been doing the rounds in my head and a number of things have come together. For one, you may notice on this chapter that my timeframe has become a little unravelled. In order for this chapter to work this story needs to have started around late 2006 rather than 2002 so for the time being please ignore any time elapsed until I update the time stamps on my chapters!**

 **As always you enjoy and please let me know what you think of this latest chapter ...**


	28. Chapter 28

28/

Happy gazed at Kate where she lay beside him, blonde hair spread across his pillow and stripped to her bra and panties, as she absentmindedly traced her fingers over the tattoos that covered his torso. She'd allowed him to kiss and caress her and strip her of her clothes before she'd stopped him, stating she wasn't ready for anything more.

"Hap? What would we have done if I hadn't lost the baby?" She asked, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

"Dunno. Had a kid I guess." He graveled as she continued to run her fingers across his chest.

"So you hadn't really thought about?" She pressed.

"Nothin' to think about is there?" He answered grabbing a hold of her hand and lacing her fingers through his.

"But we could have had a baby Hap. You hadn't thought about how that might have changed things between us?" She asked pushing herself up on her elbow to look upon his face.

"No. I can't say I had." He answered her, his voice devoid of all emotion.

"Jesus Happy, does this relationship mean anything to you?"

"What do you want me to say Kate? If we'd had the baby I'd have married you?"

She scoffed at his answer. "Fuck Happy! Is that what you think this is to me? Tricking you into marrying me so I can stay in the country?"

"No Kate, I didn't say that."

"You may as well have." she said pushing herself up from the bed and throwing her legs over the side of it to reach for her clothes.

"Look Kate. I still don't know what you want me to say but you may have noticed I don't dwell on shit."

"Yeah I had noticed," she said pulling her clothes on, "and it makes you an ass!" She almost growled as she began stalking toward the door.

He rose and covered the ground between them before she could open the lock. He placed his hand on hers that held the handle and used his other to chip her chin up so he could meet her eyes. It was then that he saw the tears in them.

"Look Kate, I'm sorry okay? I had no idea that baby meant so much to you." He said, his voice softer than she thought him capable of.

"It's not just that Hap. It's your reaction to it all."

"I'm sorry Katie. I really am."

"Sometimes sorry isn't good enough Hap." She said quietly her hand still resting on the handle of the door while his encapsulated it.

"C'mon Katie, I mean it. We can talk about the baby if you want. Just come back to bed." He said wiping a tear from her cheek.

She shook her head. "Not right now Hap. I need some time to myself."

He sighed and let go of her hand that was still upon the door and placed a furled fist against the wall beside it. She met his gaze as she opened the door and bit her lip at the look she saw there. She knew he was battling with having a woman stand up to him, perhaps too that it was giving him flashbacks to the one Kozik had told her about.

She slipped quietly through the door and closed it softly behind her and padded down the hallway of the Charming clubhouse, only now realizing she'd forgotten her shoes.

She glanced around the clubroom as she passed through it, and grimaced at what she saw – many of the patches passed out and their conquests draped across them also unconscious. She couldn't help but feel a slight pang of jealousy as she spied Kozik snoring on the sofa with a blonde crow eater draped across him. She pushed the feeling aside and tried not to gag on the lingering smell of cigarette smoke and sex that hung in the air as she opened the door out to the lot.

She sighed glad to find it quiet outside now as the motion sensor light flicked on illuminating the empty picnic tables. She crossed over to one and took a seat upon it's top and looked out over the dark and silent lot. She let her eyes drift up to the night sky above her and the millions of stars sparkling there. She'd often taken time out to gaze upon the stars back home and it surprised her how different the night sky seemed here on the other side of the world. She spanned her eyes across it wondering what constellations there were up there that she should be able to pick out. She was of course unfamiliar with them all.

"Hey there darlin'", she heard a familiar voice wring out behind her.

She turned and gave the man behind her a small smile, that tiny pang of jealousy returning. "Hey Koz." She said quietly.

"Why are you out here on your own?" He asked as he came toward her.

"I wanted to be." She said somewhat shortly as he sat down beside her.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"No. Not really." She answered him, not taking her eyes off the sparkling night sky before her.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" he asked.

"Nah. Do you know much about the stars?" She asked, changing the subject. She didn't want to talk about her and Hap to him right now, especially being the pangs of jealousy she was beginning to feel on seeing him with other women. She pushed the thoughts from her mind before that old familiar confusion set in.

"Yeah a little." He answered. "What did you wanna know?" he said casting his gaze in the same direction as hers.

"I can pick a fair few constellations out back home but I don't know any here."

"I thought here was home now?"

She peeled her eyes away from the sky and turned to glance at him. "Is it?" She asked.

"I know you've been through a lot Kate but you know everyone here has your back and wants whats best for you."

"Yeah, even if one of them's a complete ass about it."

"We talking about Happy?"

"Who else would I be referring to?"

"He loves you Kate."

"He has a bizarre way of showing it."

"Ever since what happened to Eliza he's kept his emotions locked up real tight. I think perhaps beneath that rough exterior is a man that's afraid of getting hurt again."

"Eliza? Was that her name?"

"Yeah. He'd never admit it out loud but it broke his heart when she died. I'll bet his afraid of losing you too."

"Well like I said he has a bizarre way of letting me know how he feels."

"Talk to him Kate. Tell him how your feeling."

"I have Koz. We just end up fighting. He doesn't do emotions at all – just shuts me out. I'm kinda beginning to wonder if I should have picked you when you guys wanted me to choose between you both."

Kozik's eyes snapped from where they were gazing at the sky to the small blonde girl who sat beside him.

"You can't be thinking like that Katie."

"I'm serious though Koz. More and more since what happened that's what's been going through my mind. Happy is so hard to be around sometimes."

"What makes you think I'd be any different?"

She smiled. "You're hell of a lot easier to get along with Kozik."

"But you said yourself he makes you burn with desire. Maybe I'm not as good in bed."

"I seriously doubt that Koz, besides it's not just about that. I need emotion from Happy. I need to know I have his support which I mean I guess in a way I know I do but shit Koz I feel like he's closed himself off to me until I start having sex with him again." She found herself blurting out.

"Kate, I don't know how to help but hooking up with me is hardly the answer especially if your not ready to do anything with Happy just yet."

"I know that Koz."

"Talk to him Kate. Make him see how your feeling about all this. Make him see what you need him to be and hell maybe even let him take the lead when it comes to having sex again. He won't hurt you Kate. You know that."

"Yeah maybe you're right."

Kozik placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, let his lips dwell upon her forehead for a moment as he breathed in the coconut scent of her hair. He shook away the burn that began to pulse through his veins. "You'll figure things out Katie." He said as he pulled away leaving his arm around her shoulders.

She nodded slowly. She hadn't failed to notice the moment that just passed between them or how much Kozik was trying to suppress feelings for her.

"I'm sorry I keep putting all this on you Koz."

"Don't be Kate." He answered her as he dropped his arm from her shoulders letting his hand trail down her back momentarily.

"Thanks for the chat Koz. I'm gonna take your advice and go talk to Happy."

"Good girl."

"Are we okay Koz?"

"Yeah. We're fine Kate."

"Good." She said quietly giving him a small smile as she turned away toward the door. Damn if she wasn't having trouble keeping her feelings about the two bikers straight again.

* * *

She knocked quietly on the door of Happy's dorm, secretly hoping she realized, that maybe he was asleep.

"It's open Katie." came his graveled reply.

She sighed as she turned the handle and pushed the door open. "How'd you know it was me?" She asked, her eyes drifting across his still naked chest where he sat smoking a cigarette.

"No one around here knocks that quietly." He answered stubbing the cigarette out beside him.

She gave a small smile. "I'm sorry for some of the stuff I said before."

"Most of it wasn't far from the truth." He answered.

"We need to work things out Hap." She said still not moving from where she stood, her back against the door.

"Then come sit and let us do that." He said motioning to the bed beside him.

She moved forward and perched herself on the end of it. "I need you to understand how all this has affected me Hap."

"I know how hard it must have been for you Kate. I'm sorry I wasn't there to stop it."

"It's not about that though Hap. What's done is done. I don't blame you for not being there. What I do blame you for is shutting me out since."

"I haven't tried to Katie." He said wishing she'd come and sit beside him.

"I know you don't mean to push me away Hap. I know that it's hard for you to do emotions and stuff." She said sitting up her knees and edging closer to him. "But if things are gonna work with us I need you to start letting me back in here." She said quietly placing one hand against the side of his head.

He placed his hand at the small of her back and pulled her closer. "I'll try Katie but I need you to let me back in where I need to be."

She bit her lip and gave a small slow nod in response to his words. He saw fear and angst rising in her eyes as he brought her lips gently toward his. Her lips were soft and warm, yet hesitant, as she kissed him back.

"Are you okay to do this?" He asked gently as he ran his fingers through her hair.

She bit her lip again before she answered. "Yeah." She said quietly, drawing in a sharp breath. "Just go slow okay?"

"Of course." he said pulling her into his lap, his lips meeting hers again. He placed his hands upon her hips and allowed her to take the lead. Only when her kisses became harder, deeper did he allow himself to move his hands up the sides of her body, his thumbs to caress the sides of her breasts.

She pulled away from his kiss, but not abruptly. She ran her hands down his torso and let her fingers and eyes linger at the freshest of the smiley faces. She looked up to meet his gaze letting him see the fear and pain that resided there. He saw how hard all this had been for her, perhaps even how much she had been hiding from him too. He reached up between them and ran his fingers down the side of her cheek, to her neck. He pressed gently at it's nape pulling her lips back to his. Her kisses were deep and yearning now. He took her in his arms and adjusted his body to lower her to the pillows beside him. He pulled his lips from hers and pressed them to her neck before kissing a burning trail down and across her chest. He brushed his fingers under her tank top and looked up to meet her gaze, seeking her approval before he raised it up to allow him access to her lace covered breasts. She reached down and pulled it the rest of the way over her head as he brought a nipple to his mouth, sucking it gently. Once again he glanced up and sought her approval before reaching under her to unclasp her bra and bring it slowly down her arms. He cupped her breast in his hand as he pressed his lips against hers once more. Her kisses were hungry and pleading for more now as she trailed her fingers down his back and to the waistband of his jeans. She sucked in a breath and toyed with his belt buckle as he sucked gently at the soft part of her neck. She unclasped his belt and subconsciously pressed her hips up against him as she pushed his jeans and boxers down his. He wriggled the rest of the way out of them and kicked them off at his ankles before running his hand up her bare leg to under the hem of her denim shorts. He ran his hand across the waistband, undid the button and tugged them down when she bucked her hips up against him.

He heard another sharp intake of breath as he brushed his fingers across her beneath the thin purple lace of her panties. He looked up to find her biting her lip again, her eyes squeezed shut. "It's okay baby. It's me." he said quietly letting his thumb linger at her opening. She opened her eyes and met his gaze. The fear that had subsided there was replaced with a softness, filled with trust and longing at his words.

"You ready baby?" he asked tracing his finger across the lace that covered her.

"Yeah." She nodded allowing him to slide her panties down her hips. He reached into the nightstand to pull out a condom. He noticed that her breath was still shaky as she watched him slide it on. "I'll go slow Katie." he said as he lay himself between her thighs allowing his tip to press against her opening. She placed her hand on his ass, giving him the go ahead.

She gasped as she felt him slowly fill her. He felt her tense below him as he began to draw out and then back in again, painfully slowly. He wanted nothing more than to ram into her hard and fast but he knew she didn't want that; knew that he had to show her that he could do this on her terms pouring the emotion and support he knew she needed into it.

"Is this okay." He asked quietly against her ear as he picked up his pace a little.

"Yeah." She murmured. "Yeah this is good." she said pressing herself up against him. He ran his hands across her body to all the places he knew she was most sensitive when he was inside of her. Her soft sweet moans began to fill his ears as he continued to move slowly over her, pressing deeper with each thrust.

"Kiss me Hap." She murmured as she felt her insides begin to warm. He obliged, pressing his lips imploringly against hers. He deepened their kiss when he felt her tongue slide in against his. "Oh god Happy." She moaned as she pulled away from his lips for air.

"I love you Kate." He murmured meeting her gaze as plowed into her, now enjoying the slow and even pace that he'd set. She met his gaze and knew in that moment that this was him expressing himself. This was him letting his guard down and letting her in. "I love you too Hap." She murmured gripping one hand tight to his ass and the other to his shoulder as her insides began to rampage to their peak. She gasped and let out a long throaty moan as he felt her walls clamp tight around him. He pressed his lips hard against hers as he sought his own release. He groaned into her mouth as she felt him shudder against her.

He continued to hold tight to her for a moment before sliding from her and meeting her eyes once more.

"Wow." She murmured softly as he kissed her forehead and pushed himself up and off the bed. She rolled and watched him disappear naked into the bathroom, knowing now that sex was the way he communicated emotionally with her.

* * *

 **A/N: SO at some point inadvertently (probably when i changed the timeframe slightly a few chapters back) the time stamps have dropped off the beginnings of my chapters. Taking into account all that has gone on and the mention of time passing in previous chapters we are now at around June of 2007.**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: A few months have passed since the end of the last chapter bringing us to around September of 2007. This chapter takes a bit of a twist in the path that Katie has been on. While it's a twist that was always going to happen I'm not real sure how it will be received so please let me know in your reviews ...**

29/

Kate sighed as she stared out the window waiting for Happy to return. While she was still based in Tacoma, both he and Kozik had been spending more and more time in Charming, often leaving her behind. Despite finally forcing Happy to open up and show more emotion she still often found herself gravitating toward Kozik as she continued to deal with her feelings in the aftermath of what had happened to her. She knew Happy's suspicions about what she and Kozik got up to when he wasn't around weighed heavily on his mind. Despite the growing attraction she continued to feel toward the other biker, neither she nor he had acted upon it.

It had been nearly two weeks that Happy had been gone this time and her loins ached for him. She brushed her fingers over his name that he'd tattooed on her once again right before he left, this time over the top of it, as the scar below continued to heal. She smiled to herself. She knew that re-inking it was his way of letting her know how much she meant to him even if he rarely said it out loud.

She thought back upon the conversation they'd had the previous night over the phone and how he had been the first to say _I love you_ before they ended the call. She heard his bike before she saw it come rolling into the Tacoma lot. She bit her lip as she gazed out the window toward him as he swung his leg over to stand beside his bike. She'd missed him more than she'd realized this time.

She all but pounced on him the moment he came through the door.

"Missed me did ya?" He asked with a smirk.

"I might have." She answered coyly as he pinned her against the bar.

He pressed his lips against hers. "I might have missed you too." He murmured against them as he raised the bottom of her tank top to gaze upon her tattoo. "It's healing well." He remarked as he ran his fingers across it.

"It stopped peeling this morning." She answered him.

"Good." He said, hoisting her up and onto a bar stool as he ran his fingers through her hair pulling her lips to his.

She had never been so grateful for an empty clubroom as she pushed his kutte from his shoulders and let it fall to the floor and pulled his shirt over his head desperate to fill the warm flesh of his rippling muscles beneath her hands. She pressed her lips against his as she ran her hands over his shoulders, her fingertips familiar with every crevice. She ran her fingers across the back of his neck and then down his back as he slid his tongue between her lips.

She pulled away as she felt scratch marks beneath her fingertips. She forced him to turn around as she looked upon his back, clear scratch and nail marks stood out upon it.

"What the fuck Happy?" She growled.

"It's nothing Katie." He said trying to pull her back into his embrace.

She pushed him off her. "It is not nothing! You let some bitch mark you?"

"Katie c'mon." He said pulling her back toward him.

"Get off me Hap." She interrupted him pushing him away again. "We're finally getting somewhere with this relationship and you go and bang some road slut?"

"It's not like it meant anything baby." He tried again.

"I don't give a fuck Happy. You fucked someone else! I'll bet I'd never have even known if she hadn't left her claw marks all over you!"

"Look babe, this life and what happens on the road you know it kind of stays on the road."

"Except when the bitch marks you and I find out!" She snarled, stalking towards the door.

"Katie, wait. Where are you going?" He asked.

"What does it matter? Go find some croweater to fuck instead!" She growled as she walked out the door and ran headlong into Kozik.

"Whoa Katie? Where are you going in such a hurry?" He asked taking a grip on her shoulders.

"I don't care. Anywhere but fuckin' here!" She snarled.

"What's up Katie?" He asked.

"Did you know Happy fucked some bitch on the road?" She snarled her anger coming out at him now.

"No Katie. Course I didn't. I was here with you remember?"

"Yeah. Yeah of course."

"Is that what this is about?"

"Yeah. He let some bitch mark him and tried to tell me that what happens on the road stays on it."

"Shit Kate. Look he's kinda right. That's what they all go by."

"Well I expected better of him Koz. Hell his name is fucking tattooed onto my hip."

"Did you let him know you wanted exclusivity?"

"I shouldn't have to Koz and stop fuckin' defending him."

"Hey I'm not Katie I just want you to realize that in this life road pussy isn't considered cheating."

"Well it is in my book." She growled.

"Look how about we head inside and grab a drink?"

"Yeah okay." She said with a scowl half hoping Happy had acted on her words and gone and found someone else to fuck.

"Katie whether he's admitted it to you out loud or not, he loves you. She wouldn't have meant anything to him."

"It doesn't matter if it meant anything or not. I thought he and I were finally on the same page. We were finally getting somewhere."

"I know Katie, but ..."

"Just drop it okay Koz? I don't wanna talk about it." She said casting a glare in Happy's direction where he stood at the pool table waiting for Donut to take his shot. He met her gaze and leant the pool cue up against the side of the table and made his way toward her. She turned back to the bar as he approached.

"We gonna talk or are you gonna keep glaring at me all night?" He asked as he leant against the bar standing beside her.

"What's there to talk about Hap?" She answered refusing to meet his gaze.

"I told you it meant nothing."

"You think that makes a difference?"

"You know it's part of the life Kate."

She turned to face him, her eyes filled with that resolute composure. "I am more than aware of the life Happy. I was naive enough to stay with the same man for eight years knowing what he was doing behind my back. Stupidly I thought better of you."

"C'mon Kate. It was once the whole two weeks I was gone."

"That doesn't make it okay Hap. Here I was thinking we had something beyond sex but that's all it is to you isn't it?"

"You know that's not true Kate."

"You just proved to me that it is, otherwise you'd have kept it in your pants."

"Katie..." he began.

"No Hap. I'm done. Go entertain that brunette bimbo that's been hanging off your arm all night." She snarled turning back toward the bar.

He raised his eyebrows and glowered at her from beneath them as if trying to decide whether or not she was serious before he stalked away. "Fuck this shit." He swore. "I'm going home."

Kate glared a hole into his back as he left. "Asshole." She muttered more to herself than to the blond biker who still sat beside her.

"You know he really cares about you right?" Kozik said for what seemed the millionth time that night.

"If he cared about me he'd be taking responsibility for the fact that he cheated on me instead turning it around and somehow making it my fault." She scowled.

"Katie, seriously," he began before she interrupted him, turning toward him and placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Kozik, I am done talking about that asshole." She said pushing her empty beer bottle across the bar toward him. He made eye at the bartender catching her hint to get her another drink.

They sat in a mixture of silence and small talk as the night continue and the clubroom began to empty. He noticed her switch to tequila and begin to sidle up closer to him.

"C'mon, how bout we go play a game of pool?" He said from beside her.

"Sure." She answered rising from her seat and leaning forward to place a kiss against his cheek.

He gave her a sideways glance as she rose and sauntered over to the now abandoned pool table. He wasn't blind to what he knew she was doing.

* * *

Kate giggled as she watched Kozik scowl at her as she potted the last of her balls. "What's the matter Koz? You upset that I'm beating you?" She asked batting her eyelids at him.

He knew she was quite the pool shark when she'd had a few.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "You haven't won yet Katie." he answered her as she sidled up beside him, he knew deliberately coming on to him.

"What? You telling me you're gonna pot out before I sink that black?" She asked with a sly smirk.

"I might." he answered as he lined up to take a shot.

"I bet you can't."

"Oh yeah? What do you bet?" he asked, indulging her, as the first of his balls sank into the corner pocket.

"I bet that if you don't you have to kiss me." She said watching another ball go into a pocket.

He glanced up at her before taking another shot. Her face was awash with beauty, her eyes filled with a flirtatious glow. He knew she was angry about what Happy had done but he also couldn't deny the way she was looking at him made his dick twitch.

She leant against the side of the table on her elbows, pushing her breasts closer together.

"What are you playing at Katie?" he asked.

She bit her lip and raised her eyebrows at him. "I think you know Koz." She said quietly.

"Katie we can't." He said.

"You can't tell me you don't want to Koz." She said. "C'mon take your next shot."

She watched him line up for his shot and then deliberately miss sending the ball he'd been aiming for shooting across the table into the opposite direction of the pocket it had been lined up for.

She looked up and met his eyes. "You owe me a kiss." she said, gauging the look in his eyes.

He came around the side of the table and ran his hands up her hips before turning her to face him. His mind grappled with what he was about to do knowing that Happy had claimed her as his making her forbidden fruit. He gazed down at her, watched her seductively bite her lip and bat her lashes over those picturesque blue eyes. He lowered his lips and placed them against hers and kissed her just once before drawing away and meeting her eyes. He found a resolute, lustful gaze staring back at him.

Without a word she grabbed his hand and pulled him from the clubroom and toward the hallway. Still fighting his feelings, he unlocked his dorm room and led her inside. Still biting her lip she pressed him against the back of the door as he closed it and ran her hands up under his kutte and pushed it off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor as she ran her hand over the rippling muscles of his shoulders. She ground herself against him as she raised herself up on her tiptoes to meet his lips with her own, placing a single exploratory kiss against them before drawing back and meeting his gaze questioningly.

"What are you doing Kate?" he asked her, as he ran his hands down her arms trying hard to resist her advances.

"I want you Koz," She purred in his ear, before kissing a trail down his neck. She heard the grunt he tried to stifle as he continued trying to resist her.

"Your drunk Kate." He said pulling her head back and meeting her eyes.

"That doesn't mean I don't know what I want." She said as she continued kneading her hands over the smooth flesh of his shoulders. She could tell he was losing his battle to resist her as she ran her hands beneath the black material of his top where it capped over his shoulders.

"You're doing this for the wrong reasons Kate. You're angry at Hap. Don't do this just to get back at him." he said trying to brush her hands away, as he felt himself growing hard at her touch.

"This isn't about him. This is about you Koz." She murmured, her voice soft and breathy.

"Kate, we shouldn't be doing this." he said, his voice catching in his throat as she pushed his top up. He raised his arms and allowed her to push it over his head and bit his lip as she ran her hands down over his chest letting her fingers trace softly over his tattoo.

"I want to do this Koz." She murmured, brushing lips against his chest. "I've wanted to do this since you kissed me on Christmas day."

"Katie," He murmured still trying to protest against her.

"You know you want it too Koz." She murmured pressing her lips against his. She moaned as he pressed his lips hard back against hers and ran his hand up the small of her back beneath her top slowly losing his internal battle to resist her.

"Oh god Katie," He moaned as she ran her fingers across the flesh at his waistband, and toyed with his belt. Something inside of him snapped and he lost all will to resist her as he pulled her tank top over her head, and cupped her lace covered breast in his hand as she undid his belt and jeans and pushed them down his hips. He hoisted her into his arms and carried her across to the bed, his lips hot upon hers.

She moaned as he placed her down and flicked her bra undone, trailing his fingers down her arms as he slid it off. Cupping her breast in his hand he circled his tongue around her nipple, while she clawed at his shoulder.

"Kiss me Koz," she moaned, her breath catching in her throat. He pressed his lips against hers as he tugged her jeans and panties down her hips. He felt her quiver beneath him when he brushed his finger across her slick opening.

"Christ Katie, your so wet." He murmured as he pushed her back up the bed.

"I want you Koz." She panted, pushing his boxers down his thighs and biting her lip as she laid eyes on his already hard dick.

He met her eyes. "You sure you wanna do this?" He asked.

She nodded, pressing her lips together as she watched him roll a condom over his throbbing length. She could see he wasn't as big as Happy but by god she didn't care as she felt him slide into her.

"Oh Christ Koz," she moaned as he rammed hard and fast into her, the friction and the weight of his body pressed against her enough to have her edging toward her climax straight away.

"Oh god, I'm coming." She gasped as he pressed in harder and watched her fall to pieces beneath him.

He continued to pump in and out of her seeking his own release and noticed her becoming edgy as another orgasm built over the last.

"Roll over." he told her as suddenly he pulled out of her. She did as she was told and allowed him to pull her onto her hands and knees. She gasped and screamed throwing her head back as he plunged back into her, instantly hitting deeper into her than he had before. He molded his hands over her ass as he pounded her, separating her cheeks and running his thumb over her back passage. He loved the soft whispery moan that escaped her as she came again, this time hard and all over him. With one last thrust he allowed himself to follow, gripping her ass hard and grunting out her name.

She collapsed to the bed as he slid from her and smiled ever so slightly at him as he brushed his hand across her hip. He moved from the bed and across tot he adjoining bathroom removing the condom from his cock as he walked.

"What the fuck have I just done?" he asked himself as he tossed the condom into the trash and caught sight of himself in the mirror. He'd tried to resist her but god knows he'd wanted to nail her from the very first moment he'd laid eyes on her. Even through all the months that they'd just been friends that desire had always been there, mostly at the back of his mind but sometimes, usually when he saw her getting flirty with Hap, it reared up to the forefront. But tonight she'd amped up her flirting, to more than it had been in her first few days with them. He knew she was drunk. He knew she was hurting because of Hap. He knew they shouldn't have done it. He'd tried so hard to resist her but he'd failed miserably at that. But Christ the touch of her hands and lips upon his body. How could he resist that?

He ran his hands through his hair before turning to return to the bedroom. He pulled his boxers back on and noticed she was already asleep, passed out more likely. He sighed and debated whether or not to leave and sleep somewhere else tonight, but thought against it and slid beneath the covers beside her.


	30. Chapter 30

30/

Kate drew in a sharp breath as she rolled to her side to find Kozik, asleep and bare chested beside her. She bit her lip and thought back upon the previous night. "Oh god." She murmured quietly to herself as Kozik began to stir beside her.

He glanced across at her briefly as he came to, unable to meet her gaze as she sat up drawing the sheet around her naked body. "So, um, last night probably shouldn't have happened." She said quietly.

"I'm sorry Kate. I should have stopped."

"No Koz. It's not your fault. Look I mean it was good, but you were right. It was for all the wrong reasons."

Kozik rolled and raised himself to rest on his elbow facing her. He placed his hand on her leg where it was placed wrapped in his sheet. "I don't want this to make things weird between us Kate."

"I don't either. And it might be a good idea to keep it from Happy?"

"Definitely."

"I'm gonna take a shower. Is that okay?" She asked not wanting to overstay her welcome in what was clearly still an awkward situation between them.

"That's fine Kate. I'll go, see where's Hap's at and give you a heads up if he' looking for you."

She nodded. "Thanks Koz." She said heading to the bathroom, his sheet still wrapped around her.

* * *

Kate was pulling her jeans up her hips when the door to Kozik's room burst open. The tall bald headed furious biker that stood in the doorway was shadowed by the slightly shorter blonde man, an apologetic look on his face.

Happy stalked toward Kate and pinned her against the wall.

"Hap, maybe you should calm down first." Kozik offered quietly as he hung back in the doorway.

"Maybe you shouldn't have fucked my old lady." Happy growled without taking his eyes off Kate. "This is between me and Kate now Koz. You can leave."

Kozik darted his apologetic eyes in Kate's direction as he backed from the room closing the door behind him.

"You didn't think I'd find out if you fucked him?" He growled menacingly.

"I don't care that you did!" She spat back, surprising him with her brashness.

He tightened his grip on her shoulders where he had them pinned against the wall. He stared into the brash and bold glint in her eye and perhaps for the first time admitted to himself how much she reminded him of Eliza.

"Look. I fucked up okay? Are we even now?" he found himself saying, the anger dissipating within him.

"No Hap. We're not. You did it once. You'll do it again. I've been down this path before remember?" she answered snidely.

"And did having a one night stand with his best friend help?" He growled feeling his anger rise again.

"Who said it was one night?" she snapped back, she knew fueling the anger she could see rising in his eyes.

She gasped as he raised his hand to her throat and tightened his grip around it. "Don't toy with his heart Katie." He growled, his answer surprising her.

"What do you care?" She asked quietly, beginning to see the turn this conversation was taking. He wasn't going to fight to keep her.

"He might walk the walk Katie but he's not the same as the rest of us. He wears his heart on his sleeve. You want him? Don't lead him along and hurt him."

"But what about us?" She asked feeling his grip on her throat loosen.

"I won't be around."

"Okay." she answered, letting his words sink in and swallowing back the lump that was beginning to form in her throat. She wasn't sure how she felt about him not fighting for her. "Where will you be?"

"I'm going Nomad." He said moving his hands from her neck and shoulders to the wall beside her, but still towering over her.

"What the hell does that mean?" She asked still grappling with wanting to continue pushing him away and wanting him to fight to be with her.

"It means I'm not tied down to a club. I'll be on the road and not around here much."

She bit her lip, grappling with what that meant. "So you're leaving me?"

"It's what you wanted right?" He said in a more level tone than she had expected when this conversation began. "You should have chosen him to begin with."

"But Hap, I didn't mean any of that stuff I said last night. I was angry with what you did. I'm sorry Hap."

"He's the better man for you Kate. He's loyal and he'll give you the stability that I can't. Hell you're already in a better emotional place because of him."

"But Hap. I need you." She said quietly her voice cracking.

"No you don't Katie. You got everything you need in Koz." He said pushing himself back from the wall and turning for the door.

"Hap wait." She called him back. "Is this because of what I did?"

"No Kate. I've been gonna do this for a while. I guess now I just know that Koz will look after you." He said leaning against the door frame as he gazed upon her, perhaps for the last time.

"When are you leaving?" She asked still remaining with her back against the wall where he had previously had her pinned.

"I'll be gone by the end of the day. You can stay at my place still as long as you want."

She bit her lip, not knowing what to say and blinking back the tears that threatened to fall.

"So, I might see ya around." he said pushing himself away from the door frame readying to leave the room.

"Yeah, maybe." she managed before he was gone.

She crossed the room to the door and pushed it closed before sinking to her knees behind it letting her tears fall. That wasn't how she had wanted things to go; wasn't how she had thought he would react. She wanted him to be angry but she hadn't wanted to push him away. Why had he left her? There had to be more to it than just what he said about Kozik being the better man for her.

Kate had no idea how long she sat with her head rested against the back of Kozik's dorm room door but her legs were stiff and sore when she stood. She went into Kozik's bathroom and looked around it briefly before glancing in the mirror at her tear streaked face. She turned on the faucet and splashed cold water onto her face in an effort to clear the redness from her eyes. She took a deep breath and made her way to the door slowly turning it's handle and braving the clubroom. She knew that everyone would know about what had gone on the night before between her and Kozik and about Happy's decision to leave.

* * *

All eyes were on her as she emerged from the hallway. It didn't take long for her to notice that Happy was not among them. She guessed he'd either already left or was at his place packing up his stuff. Lee and Lorca murmured something to each other and than each stood and made their way to the door towards the lot. Donut too came up with some excuse to leave the clubroom, leaving it empty of everyone except Kozik.

Kate bit her lipped and gazed upon him. "So he told you that he's leaving?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah." he answered having no idea how to approach the topic with her. Happy had been angry as he had expected but then in a completely un-Happy like turn of events had announced that he could have her, that he was leaving to go Nomad.

"Where is he now?" She asked.

"Probably still at his place."

"Is Grace around I need to borrow her car."

"No she's not. What do you need it for?"

"I need to talk to him Koz."

"Seems like he made his mind up about this a while ago Kate. What we did gave him the push he needed to leave."

"Nah. There's more to it than that Koz. I need to see him before he goes. Could you give me a ride?"

"That's probably not the best idea Kate."

"Just stay outside then." Kate sighed, her eyes pleading with him to help her.

"Okay sure." He said rising from the sofa and heading to the door.

She scuttled after him before he changed his mind.

* * *

Kate was relieved to see Happy's bike still standing in the driveway as Kozik pulled to a stop at the roadside in front of his house. She drew in a deep breath as she threw her leg over Kozik's bike and handed him her helmet and headed toward the door. Pushing it open she looked around the spotless lounge room finding it empty.

"Hap?" She called and received no answer. She could hear drawers being opened and closed in the bedroom. She took another deep breath and bit her lip as she headed down the hallway to his open bedroom doorway to find him packing what he could into his saddle bags that lay in the center of the bed.

She stood for a moment watching him before she spoke knowing he knew she was there.

"What's this really about Hap?" She asked leaning against the door frame.

"I told ya. I'm going Nomad."

"You should be furious with me and Koz, Hap, but instead you're just leaving?"

"I'm doing what needs to be done Katie."

"You need to leave and give up on everything we created?"

"I'm not what you need Kate."

"Don't you think you should let me decide that?" She asked her voice rising.

"You did. Last night when you slept with Koz."

"It was one night Hap. I was drunk and angry at you."

"You two have been dancing around your feelings for each other for months Katie. Don't think I haven't seen it." He said still not making eye contact.

Kate sighed. "Maybe we have Hap but neither of us acted on it."

"Until last night."

"I told you Hap. I was drunk and he probably was too."

"Whatever Kate. I'm still leaving."

"Why? So you don't get hurt again like when Eliza died?" She blurted out desperate to get him to listen, perhaps even stay.

He snapped his attention to her. "How do you know about that?"

"Koz told me."

"Of course he did."

"You loved her."

"Yeah I did but that was a long time ago Kate. This has nothing to do with how I felt about her."

"Doesn't it? Are you sure you aren't afraid of getting hurt again?"

"Look Kate, c'mere." He said motioning her forward toward him. "I love you baby." he said wrapping his arms around her before he continued. "But I can't give you the life that you want here."

"Hap..." she began only to have him place his finger upon her lips to silence her.

"I have to do this Katie. I need to go Nomad, not just for the club, it allows me more flexibility to care for my Mom. I can't fit all that into giving you the life you deserve. Koz will take care of you okay? I've made sure of it."

Kate swallowed the lump in her throat, determined not to cry again. Finally he was opening up to her; right before he intended to leave.

"I get it Hap. I understand but well, will I see you again?"

"Probably."

"And what? We're just friends now?"

He chipped her chin up and lowered his lips to hers, his kiss soft and tender. "I love you Katie but yeah friends it is from here on in."

She took a deep breath knowing that he wasn't going to change his mind on what he had decided needed to be done. "Yeah okay." She said biting her lip. "Could we maybe, you know, one last time?" She asked quietly trailing her lips across his chest and breathing in his scent.

"Is Koz waiting for you outside?"

"Yeah, he can wait a little longer." She said biting her lip again.

He pushed his saddle bags aside and lowered her to the bed, sharing it with her one last time.

* * *

 **A/N: So I'm aware that many of you may not like this update and the turn that it has taken specifically Happy's reaction. i've always seen Happy as a very complex character, more layers than we saw. In this instance he is slowly showing those layers to Kate but too perhaps too late. The next chapter will jump ahead and reveal a little more.**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Sorry it's been so long. Life has been busy and I rarely get time to write these days but anyway, a nice long update for you! Please let me know your thoughts.**

31/

"Hey baby." Kozik greeted Kate as he walked into the kitchen of the house they'd been sharing for the past two months.

"Hey." she answered with a smile as he kissed her cheek from behind her, his hands resting on her hips. It had been nearly six months since Happy left and slowly Kozik and Kate had kindled a relationship. It had been awkward at first with Kate finding it difficult to push her feelings for Happy aside but slowly she had begun to let Kozik in, in a new way, appreciating him for what Happy had promised her he would be to her. He was loving and kind, an attentive lover always making sure her every need was met. And he always made sure to let her know where he would be, how long he'd be away and when he'd be back. Conversation was easy and there was little that they didn't share.

"So how was work today?" He asked.

"Tiring." She answered loving the feel of his hands as they trailed up her back and began massaging her shoulders.

"Why don't you let me take over making dinner then?" He said against her ear.

"It's okay baby. You know I like to cook for you. You can keep doing that though." She answered feeling the tension in her shoulders begin to loosen.

He smiled and turned her head to plant a kiss on her lips. "More later okay? I'm gonna go take a shower."

* * *

"Sure babe." She smiled as she continued to stir the pot on the stove.

"So baby, you know I need to head back down to Charming later this week right?" Kozik asked later that evening as he placed his fork down on his empty plate.

"Yeah you mentioned it. Things seem pretty crazy down there right now."

"Yeah totally. They've pissed off the Irish in a big way, Gemma is on the lamb and Abel has been kidnapped."

"Shit! Jax's son? Kidnapped by who?"

"Cameron Hayes. We think because his son got killed in the crossfire of all the shit they've got going on with the ATF."

"Jesus. So where is he?"

"They think Canada."

"And why is Gemma on the run?"

"She was framed for the murder of Cameron Hayes' son."

"Shit. I get why you've been spending so much time down there."

"I've actually been thinking of transferring. Becoming Samcro."

"Oh?" She answered quietly unable to hide the apprehension from her tone. "What does that mean then for me? For us?"

"You'd come with me of course. We'd both move down there." He answered her, seeing the immediate relief wash over her face.

"When?"

"Probably soon. I've run it past Clay and he's keen to put it to vote soon. They need the muscle."

"Okay so we'd move down there? I'd have to quit my job and we'd need to rent a new place down there and ..."

"Slow down baby. There's no rush. We can get it all sorted out and I'm sure you'll be happy to quit that job. He works you to the bone baby."

Kate smiled. "Yeah but I like bringing in some money for us. Makes me feel like I'm not totally dependent on you."

"And so what if you were?" He said pulling her down into his lap.

She smiled. "You know I've always felt it important to make my own way in the world and have a life outside of the Sons world."

"I know baby." He said brushing a stray strand of her hair out her eyes. "Come with me down to Charming this time. I'll try to put aside some time to help you look for a house for and I can put in a good word for you at the diner and some of the bars."

"Why only some of the bars?"

"Because some of them would require you to go back to your old profession and you know I don't want that."

She smiled. "Okay."

"I love you Katie."

"I love you too Koz."

She moaned as he ran his hand up her back and pressed it against the base of her neck to force her lips down onto his. She let his taste and his smell invade her senses before murmuring in his ear her desire for more.

* * *

"Hap's here?" Kate asked as she passed Kozik her helmet while she gazed upon Happy's bike where it stood at the end of the line.

"Yeah. You cool with that?" Kozik asked as if it were nothing as he hung both their helmets on his handlebars. She knew that he'd crossed Happy's path since that night and that they'd patched up any rift between them as only the American sons seemed able to do.

She drew in a deep breath. "Yeah. I just haven't seen him since, well you know since he left to go Nomad."

"I should probably tell you that he's planning on patching in here too."

"He is?" Kate asked swallowing back the lump that was quickly forming in her throat.

"That's not gonna be a problem is it?" Kozik asked an element of trepidation to his tone.

"No course not. It's you and me now babe." She said placing her arms around his waist and pulling him close; she knew trying to convince herself almost as much as him. He smiled down at her and pressed his lips briefly against hers before leading her across the lot and over to where Clay sat with some of the others outside.

"Hey, Clay. Got my transfer letter." He said pulling a folded piece of paper from his kutte and handing it to the Samcro president.

"Good. Happy and the prospects are inside. Let's get this done." He said addressing the rest of his charter before leading the way inside.

"Wait for me inside Kate." Kozik murmured to her where she still stood by his side.

"You stole Hap's girl Blondie?" Tig greeted him. "How the fuck'd you manage that?"

"It doesn't matter how he managed it." Kate answered instead. "Only thing that matters is you realizing you've never got a chance with me."

She watched Tig raise his eyebrows in what could only be admiration. "Feisty. I like that in a bird."

"Go inside Katie." Kozik said feeling her tense at his side. She glanced across at Tig before doing what Kozik had asked her to do.

"You got a minute?" She heard him ask Tig before she entered the clubhouse.

Happy was inside as Clay had said. He looked right at home in the Samcro club room, all smiles and banter with those around him. He glanced her way upon hearing the door swing closed.

She felt butterflies rise in her stomach upon seeing him again, and drew in a breath when he gave her a simple nod of acknowledgment.

She stood in the doorway feeling a little lost as to where she was supposed to be. She felt Happy's eyes boring into her as Kozik entered behind her and slid his arm around her waist.

"The guys are gonna take a vote on the transfer now okay." He murmured in her ear. "Why don't you go put our stuff in my dorm room and then come wait out here until it's done?"

She nodded quietly, feeling him tense as Tig came in behind him and walked past heading straight for the chapel which the others had already started to enter.

"You guys still at odds?" She asked quietly.

"Think we always will be babe." He answered her.

"But don't you need his vote to patch in?"

"Yeah. I'm hoping he'll put our past aside and not be prick about it."

"I hope so too." She answered glancing across the clubroom toward Happy where he still stood watching their exchange.

"I gotta go in there okay baby? You do what I said. It won't take long."

She nodded and headed past Happy finding herself unable to meet his gaze. She couldn't help but think back upon the first time she'd been in this clubhouse and the power games she'd played with both men. And now here she was again, only this time she couldn't help but feel they held all the cards, making her once again a pawn in someone elses game.

* * *

She waited in the clubroom for chapel to finish, absentmindedly flicking through a bike magazine that lay on the table in front of her. When the club doors burst open Happy was pushed through it in celebration, a grin bigger than she'd ever seen upon his face. She couldn't help but see Kozik looking dejected coming out last.

"You didn't get his vote?" She asked as she approached him.

"Nah." He said quietly. She heard the frustration and anger in his voice as they both watched Happy get presented with his Samcro patches.

"You stick around though." Clay said from beside him.

"Yeah. We'll take another vote. We'll get you in." Jax added.

"I'm gonna go start the healing." He said stepping forward and connecting with the back of Tig's head. "No fun getting sucker punched is it?" He added as Tig wheeled around to face him.

"Nah. It's not." Tig said as he launched himself back at Kozik.

"Shit. Shouldn't we do something?" Kate asked.

"Yeah. Stand back and watch the carnage." Jax said placing his arm around her shoulders.

"Relax Kate. They won't kill each other." Clay added.

Kate smiled a small half smile at his words. "Yeah I guess not." She said quietly watching the two men really lay into each other now. She shook her head with a sigh as she left the room and headed toward the hallway.

With the commotion in the clubroom no one noticed Happy follow her out.

"Hey little lady." He said from behind her. She turned with a start at hearing his voice and his nickname for her. She tried to suppress the familiar burning in the pit of her stomach at it's sound.

"Hey." She answered turning to face him.

"How you been?" He asked coming close enough that she could smell his still familiar scent of cigarettes, leather and cologne.

"Good." She answered trying hard to make her answer sound natural.

"Kozik been looking after you?" He asked keeping his distance as his eyes took in every curve that his hands remembered.

"Yeah." She answered a little too breathily for her liking and found herself biting her lip.

He could tell the effect he was having on her and he'd be a hypocrite if he tried to deny his own feelings.

"You look good." He said taking a few steps closer.

She sucked in another breath at his closeness and his smell as it invaded her nostrils. "Thanks." She managed quietly just as Kozik rounded the corner of the hallway, a spreading bruise over his eye and a gash down one cheek.

"Shit Koz." She exclaimed stepping away from Happy, feeling a mixture of relief and guilt at the interruption. "What the hell did he do to you?"

"It's nothing Kate. I gave him worse." He said placing his arm around Kate's shoulders. "You two catching up?" He continued.

"Yeah. Something like that. You should let Kate clean that gash up. Looks nastier then it probably feels." Happy responded before he continued down the hallway toward his dorm.

Kate said nothing as she watched Kozik unlock the door to his own dorm and followed him quietly in. she crossed to the bathroom and found some antiseptic and a cloth to begin cleaning up the gash over which the blood was beginning to dry.

"Is being here gonna be a problem Katie?" He asked her as she wiped away the blood.

"What do you mean?" She asked cautiously knowing full well what he was referring to.

"You and Happy. That's over right?" He asked as she lowered her hand and assessed his knuckles. She knew she was taking too long to give him an answer.

"Well yeah. He ended it, right after you and I ..." She trailed off thinking back on that morning.

"I know he did but you coulda cut the tension between you two with a knife back there."

She closed her eyes and swallowed, pushing back the memory of the ball of lust that had danced in her pelvis just at Happy's gaze upon her once more.

She placed the cloth down on the bed beside Kozik and moved to straddle him. "Koz, I'm with you now. Happy made it pretty clear there was no room for me in his life."

"So what does that make me? The consolation prize?"

"No baby." She said, feeling a little stung by his words. It was something they had never addressed, as they'd just kind of fallen into a relationship together after Happy left. "What you and I have is special and has been as long as we've known each other. From the moment I met you Koz I knew we'd be great together. I was stupid to ever choose Happy over you." She said biting her lip as she met the intense gaze in his eye. She could tell he wanted to hear more.

"I care a lot about you Koz. you've been an amazing emotional support to me through everything since I've been here. I couldn't have gotten through it without you."

"But that's all I was ever good for until Happy left you." he said with an element of hurt to his voice.

"Koz please believe me when I say I care about you and that I think things have worked out the way they were always meant to. I was so torn up between the two of you when I first got here and a part of that was probably because I was already in such a raw emotional state. You were the one I connected with instantly on an emotional and intellectual level and Happy was everything that my life back home wasn't. I'd been with the same man since I was 16 years old Koz, and he'd been grooming me to be his long before that. Before I met Happy I'd never experienced burning lust and desire for something before."

"Kate..." Kozik tried to interrupt as she placed a finger against his lips.

"Please let me finish." She said quietly to which he gave a small yet solid nod she could tell choking back his own emotions.

"Happy was everything I'd never had before but it's only now after these last few months with you that I truly feel content here. I feel like I've found my place in your house, your bed and your heart." she finished hoping that he would accept her declaration of her feelings. He did care for him and what she had said was the truth but there would always be a part of her that wished she could have them both. She longed for the stability and contentedness that Kozik had shown her but she craved the dangerous element that Happy oozed. And the sex; she couldn't deny that while sex with Kozik was good it was nothing on the way Happy had made her feel.

"You mean all that Katie?" He asked, the well of emotion in his eyes beginning to settle as he realized she wasn't breaking up with him to return to Happy.

"I do Koz. I really do." She said placing her hand upon his heart beneath the leather of his kutte.

He lent his lips forward and met hers, pressing them against her perhaps harder than he ever had. She couldn't help but feel the possession in his kiss affirming to himself that he wasn't second fiddle to Happy; that this beautiful girl was indeed his.

He flipped her off him and laid her down on the bed beside him, shrugged off his kutte and pulled his shirt over his head, before prowling over her and watching the lust dance in her eyes as she ran her fingers through his chest hair and up over his shoulder pulling him down to her lips again. He ran his hand down her leg and pressed his growing bulge against her. He ran his hand back up and she gasped a sweet moan against his ear as he pressed his thumb against her clit through the material of her jeans. She reached down between them and undid the buttons of them before guiding his hand down beneath the material. He ran his finger across the sheer lace of her panties that still covered her slick opening. He felt the material begin to moisten as he slid his fingers beneath it. Her breath came in slow barely audible gasps as his finger flicked across her bringing her to one last screaming gasp.

"Oh Christ Koz." She moaned as he pulled his hand away.

"You're beautiful Katie." he murmured as he kissed a trail up her neck and back to her lips where he laid a gentle soft kiss surprising her with what he said next. "I'm gonna make it work for us here baby. Somehow I'll patch in to Samcro and when I have I wanna put my crow on you."

She met his gaze, a little unsure of how she felt about what he'd just declared. "You do?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah. Are you okay with that?"

"Well yeah I guess but who would do it?" She asked thinking how awkward it would be to have Happy ink Kozik's crow on her especially when she still had undeniable feelings for the other biker.

"It wouldn't be Happy if that's what you're thinking." He answered with a smirk. "There's a tattoo parlor here in town. They did most of the clubs stuff before Happy started doing it."

She nodded slowly and let a small smile creep to her lips. She tried to convince herself that she wanted this. She wanted to feel loved and needed in a place that still in a lot of ways felt foreign to her. She wanted to feel like she belonged somewhere again.


	32. Chapter 32

32/

"I really like this one Koz. Can we get it?" Kate whispered in his ear as she looped her arm through his and pulled him closer.

"You sure? It's not as big as some of the others we looked at." He answered her as he looked around the lounge room of the house they were looking through.

"Yes. It might be a little smaller but it's cozy and it's got a bigger yard if you wanted to have the guys over."

"True. It does have a real homey feel doesn't it?" He asked raising his arm and running his hand down her back.

She nodded and looked hopefully up at him.

"Alright let's go for this one." He said with a smile.

He couldn't help but appreciate the hugeness of her grin as she raised herself onto her tiptoes and placed a kiss against his lips. He was glad for how happy she seemed here in Charming and how content she genuinely seemed after they'd addressed her feelings.

"Thank you!." She murmured against his lips

"No problem baby." He murmured back. "Listen, I gotta go help out at the garage this afternoon. You okay to hang around the clubhouse?"

She sighed. "I guess. Will Tara or any of the others be around?"

"Don't know. Maybe." he answered her sliding his arm around her waist as they headed out the door and towards his waiting bike.

* * *

Kate sucked in a breath as she entered the clubhouse later on that afternoon to find it empty of everyone but Happy. They hadn't spoken since the afternoon that she and Kozik had arrived and she knew that if things were to continue on the path they currently were between her and Koz then she was best to keep her distance from him.

She glanced at him briefly and met his gaze momentarily before continuing down the hallway to Kozik's room. She couldn't help but bite her bottom lip as she heard his raspy voice call her back.

"Kate, hold up a minute."

She turned back toward the clubroom to see him rise and head toward her. Her eyes drank in his rippling muscles beneath his shirt and colors that covered those of his arms as he approached.

"Koz told you what's going on?" He asked, standing a little closer than she'd like.

"Some of it." She answered letting out a breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding as his scent invaded her nostrils.

"I won't be around for a few days, maybe a week." he said.

"Okay. Where will you be?" She asked.

"Belfast. Bringing back Abel."

"And why are you telling me? You never really shared that kinda stuff when we were together."

"Dunno. Thought you should know." he said as he placed his hand upon her hip.

"Hap I ..." She began only to have her words cut off by his lips crushed upon hers.

She kissed him back, losing herself in the moment, his smell and his familiar touch and taste before she pulled away. "Hap, we can't." She said quietly.

"I miss you Kate."

"It was you who ended things Hap."

"I know I did but I shouldn't have."

"I'm with Kozik now Hap. We're happy."

"You staying in Charming?"

"Yes. He wants to."

"And what about you? What do you want?"

"I just want to be happy."

"And are you?"

"Christ Hap. What is this? You left. You told me there was no room for me in your life. You more or less gave me the go ahead to be with Kozik and now you're questioning it? It's too late Happy. I'm with Kozik now."

"I just want what's best for you Kate."

"What's best for me is that you stop playing with my heart." She said quietly, conflicted at how she felt about him in this moment. She wanted to be angry at him first for leaving and then for wanting her back, but at the same time her heart raced and the pit of her belly began to burn as his hand continued to trace long her hip.

He recognized the familiar fire in her eyes before he placed his hand at the back of her neck and pulled her lips to his once more. "I'll be back in a few days." he said as he drew away. "We can talk about this then."

She stood with her heart racing as she watched him turn and walk away. She knew now how she wanted this to go, hell perhaps even how she'd always wanted it to go. What she didn't know was if it would work or if they'd even entertain the idea of letting it work.

* * *

"Hey baby." Kozik greeted her as he entered his dorm room later that afternoon, using an old rag to wipe grease from his hands and sweat from his brow. He still wore his Teller Morrow work shirt rather than his Kutte.

"Hey." She smiled looking up from where she sat in the middle of his bed, a magazine spread open in front of her. She had no idea of the words on the page; truth be told she struggled to push Happy and what had happened between them earlier from her mind.

"I got some good news." He said nearing her and sitting down beside her. He knew she hadn't actually been reading the magazine that she flippantly pushed away and tried to read her mood.

"Yeah? What's that?" She asked.

"We got the house. We can move in next week."

"Oh wow. Really? That's awesome." She said he could tell somewhat distracted.

"Is everything okay baby? You don't seem yourself." he said

"Yeah. I'm fine. Could we maybe get out of here for a while? Go get some dinner maybe?" She asked.

"Sure babe." he answered, taking a hold of her hand and pulling her toward him and into his arms. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah just some things on my mind. Can we get going?" She asked seeming anxious to leave the clubhouse.

"Sure. I just gotta go past the garage and change first." he said leading her from out through the clubroom and out into the lot.

She glanced toward the line of bikes, relieved to see Happy's wasn't there. She knew enough about how she was feeling to know that she couldn't handle them both together right now.

She turned her attention back to Kozik just in time to see him pull a black t shirt over his head and down over his chest. She smiled as he winked at her catching her gaze lowering down the length of his body. "You checking me out Katie?" he asked picking up his kutte and shrugging it on as he neared her.

"Maybe." She said with an intentional smirk back at him.

"C'mon. Let's go grab some dinner." He said with a smirk back as he slipped his arm around her shoulders and drew her close before placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"So I ran into Happy this afternoon." Kate said placing her fork down on her empty plate in front of her.

"Oh yeah?" Kozik answered looking up from his plate. He knew instantly that had to have been what had her so distracted.

"He said that he and some of the guys are going to Ireland to find Abel."

"Yeah."

"Are you?" she asked, he knew skirting around what she really wanted to say.

"No. You know I woulda told you if I were. I'll be helping out here while they're away."

"There was something else too." She said taking a breath before she continued. "He kissed me."

Kozik gripped the edge of the table and pursed his lips together as he gazed at her. "How'd that make you feel?" He asked not wanting to hear the answer.

"I'm not gonna lie to you Koz, that's why I'm telling you this. It confused the hell out of me."

"Go on."

"I love you and how things are between us Koz but when he kissed me it reminded me of how he made me feel. He more or less told me he wants me back."

"So that's what this is? Happy wants you again so it's over between us?"

"What? No Koz. That's not why I'm telling you. Christ I don't know why I am. I guess I thought you should know."

"I should have known it'd come to this."

"Come to what? I'm not leaving you."

He reached a hand across the table and placed it over hers. "I knew he would never be able to stay away from you."

She didn't know what to say and settled for a small half smile, the sadness and confusion awash in her eyes.

"Do you want him back?"

"I'd be lying if I said no but I don't want to have to choose again."

"What are you saying?"

"I want you both Koz." She admitted, finally saying what had been on her mind all afternoon.

"I'm not sure that would work Katie."

"Why not? I mean it kinda worked back when I first came here."

"Yeah I suppose. Go talk to Happy figure out where he's at." He answered with a sigh pulling his hand away.

"I'm not doing this to hurt you Koz." She said reaching across the table for his hand again.

"I know you're not Katie. I just hate seeing you so sad and confused." he said taking her hand in his.

"Well maybe we can fix that if we can come to some kind of agreement with Happy." She said hopefully.

"Yeah maybe." he said with what she thought was a forced smile.

* * *

"Happy? Could I have a word?" Kate asked knocking on his dorm room door later that night.

"Sure." came his raspy gravel through the door.

She opened the door to find him sitting back against his pillows, bare chested and smoking a cigarette. She tried to push from her mind what that probably meant. He was silent waiting for her to speak.

"So this morning. What was that?"

"I kissed you."

"No shit you kissed me. Why?"

"Shit what are we Kate? Teenagers? What does it matter why?"

"It matters because you seem to think it's okay to trample all over me and toy with my heart."

"Sounds like what you were doing with me and Koz when you first came here."

"No Hap. It's nothing like that. That was fun. There is nothing fun about the way I'm feeling."

"And how's that?"

"when you kissed me today it made me realize how much I've missed you." She said quietly.

"Thought you said you were happy with Koz."

"I am but well you're both in Charming now. It's going to be awkward if I don't address how I feel about you both."

"Go on."

"I want both of you."

"Katie we've been though this."

"No we haven't. You guys made me choose. Why can't I be with both of you?"

"I'm not gonna be in Charming for a while Kate."

"I know you said. You leave for Belfast tomorrow."

"After that Kate. I'll be in lock up."

"What? Why?" she asked taken aback at his words.

"Why doesn't matter Kate but I'll be gone for a while."

"How long?"

"Three years. Fourteen months if I make parole."

"Shit Hap." She swore feeling tears stinging the back of her eyes. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?"

"You weren't mine to tell." He answered sucking on his cigarette once more before he stubbed it out in the ashtray beside him.

"And if I was would you have?" She asked feeling her heart begin to race in her chest.

"Of course." He answered watching her blink back her tears.

Once again she wanted to be angry at him but she felt her heartstrings being pulled at the honesty she was getting from him. "How long have you known?"

"A few months really but we made bail that was revoked last week."

"When do you go in?"

"The end of the week. After Ireland."

"Shit Hap. And when do you leave for Ireland?"

"First thing in the morning." He answered.

She bit her lip and closed her eyes sorting through her feelings in her head. She knew now why Kozik had suggested she talk to Happy about her desire to have them both. Surely he knew that his brother would be going to jail by the end of the week making any kind of relationship between the three of them impossible. She drew in a deep breath before she spoke.

"So I guess it won't work out between the three of us if your inside." She said quietly.

He reached forward and grabbed her hand pulling her toward him.

"Tell me why you want it to." He said once she had settled on her knees in front of him, his hand still upon hers.

"I thought I could separate out my feelings for you both but the truth is I can't. I'm happy with Kozik. He looks after me and my every need, but I can't deny the way you still make me feel Hap. My heart races when you're around in a way that it never has with any other man but I think you already knew that."

He ran his hand across hers and brought it up to his lips. She could tell he was deep in thought.

"We should never have made you choose Kate. I can tell you're more torn up than when you first arrived here."

"So what are we going to do about it?" She almost whispered before biting her lip and silently willed him to kiss her.

"Have you spoken to Koz about this?" He asked to which she nodded.

"And what'd he say?"

"He said to talk to you and see how you felt about it." She said before she sucked in a breath as he placed his hand at the back of her neck and pulled her forward, meeting her lips with his in a soft romantic kiss, softer than she thought him capable of.

"I'm happy to share you if Kozik is." He said as he drew away.

"Share me? So you mean I can be with both of you?"

"Like I said if it's okay with Koz but there'd have to be some ground rules and obviously he gets you to himself while I'm inside."

She leaned forward and kissed his lips briefly. He couldn't deny how the huge smile on her face made him feel.

"Should we go talk to him about it?" She asked.

"Yeah. And if he agrees I'm bringing you straight back here baby." He said before pressing his lips hard against hers. She slid her tongue between them and relished his taste and hoped that Kozik would agree too. There was something that the two of them brought to her life that one alone never could.


	33. Chapter 33

33/

The clubroom was busy when Kate entered it with Happy close behind her. Preparations for the trip to Ireland were well underway as she spied Kozik across the room talking to Clay and Piney.

She glanced back toward Happy who gave her a silent nod before she approached the three men. "Sorry to interrupt," she began, "but I need a word with Koz." she said before she lost her nerve. She knew he wasn't comfortable with what she had proposed earlier.

He saw Happy standing arms crossed behind her and knew instantly what she wanted to talk about. "Sure." he answered. "We done here?" He asked Clay.

"Yeah. Go talk to the lady." Clay responded raising his eyebrows and eying first Kate then Happy who stood behind her.

Kozik rose. "Not here." He said to Kate as he passed her, "Someplace quiet." He continued heading toward the hallway. He pulled down the ladder that led to the roof.

Kate bit her lip before she followed him up.

"So what's up?" He asked looking across to her as she approached, his eyes straying to Happy as he too emerged onto the roof.

"I spoke to Happy about me being with both of you." Kate said quietly.

"And?" He directed his eyes toward Happy.

"I'm cool with it so long as Kate's happy." He answered his brother.

Kozik nodded slowly thinking carefully before he spoke. "Yeah okay. So how is it going to work?"

Kate sat between the two of them and looked across to Happy. "We let Kate decide which of us she wants and when." He said looking to her where she sat silently between them, "Obviously you get her while I'm inside."

Kozik nodded. "Alright but behind closed doors yeah?" He added not sure he could handle seeing Kate with Happy again.

"Yeah." Happy concurred.

"And never at the same time." Kozik continued.

Happy nodded. "You okay with that Kate?" Happy asked her.

She nodded feeling a little unsure of the tension she could feel between the pair of them. "Are you sure you're both going to be okay with this?" She asked glancing first toward Happy and then letting her gaze remain on Kozik.

"We'll make it work Katie." Kozik assured her reaching across and taking her hand in his as he looked over to Happy.

"I'll be downstairs." Happy announced as he stood seeing that Kozik needed a little more convincing from Kate about the arrangement.

Kate nodded and turned her attention to Kozik. "Just because I want to be with him doesn't make me want you any less." She said.

"I know Kate. I'll try not to be jealous okay?" He said with a small smile.

She laced her fingers through his and leaned forward to press her lips against him. He kissed her back, running his fingers through her hair. "I love you Katie." he said as he drew away.

She smiled. "Do you still want to put your crow on me?"

"Yeah. I got a little hurdle called Tig I gotta get past first."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" She asked.

"Nah. We'll sort it out. Now go. I can tell you want Happy tonight." he said quietly.

She smiled. "Is it that obvious?"

"I can read you like a book Kate."

She smiled again and leaned forward to kiss him again, a small soft kiss this time, before she stood and moved away to the ladder.

She glanced back before she descended it. "I love you too Koz." She said with a smile.

He couldn't help but smile back at the sincerity in her eyes.

* * *

"Hey." She said entering Happy's dorm and leaning back against the door as she closed it.

"Get over here." He said where he sat on the bed tossing aside his phone that was in his hand.

She made her way over to him and straddled him placing her hands on his shoulders already feeling her core begin to burn. He pulled her to him and bit her bottom lip hard before pressing his mouth against hers. He felt her body mold against him as he pressed his fingers up her spine. It felt good to have her in his arms once more.

He caught her devilish smile as she pulled away from his lips and moved her mouth to the side biting his earlobe as she scratched her nails down the back of his head to his neck and shoulders.

"Damn it Katie." He growled flipping her off him and pressing her against the mattress and prowling over her. He tugged her top over her head and wasted no time pulling a breast from beneath the lace of her bra, his teeth nipping at her nipple before he sucked on it hard. He felt her buck her hips up against him, no doubt already dripping wet. He unclasped her bra and dragged it down her arms as he continued to ravage her breasts, first one then the other as she moaned and gasped beneath him.

"Christ Happy." She moaned wishing he'd sink his cock into her already. She pushed his t shirt over his head and tossed it aside before running her hands over his shoulders down the rippling muscles of his pecks. He pressed his lips hard against hers, his kiss commanding and dominant. She gasped as his hand brushed over her hips before tugging her jeans down them.

She bit her lip and watched as he backed down the bed on his knees and began showering her hips and lower abdomen with kisses. She couldn't help herself when she placed her hand at the top of his head and pushed him down between her thighs. He smirked up at her before flicking his tongue over her clit. The soft sudden whimper that escaped her was all he needed to continue his assault on her.

"I forgot how amazing you taste, little lady." He murmured coming up briefly for air sinking back down between her thighs. She gasped as he flicked his tongue over her, the heat in her core rising as her peak built to a crescendo. She sank her nails into the back of his head as she came.

"Oh Christ Happy." She moaned as he smirked up at her watching her as she sank her teeth into her bottom lip. "Get up here." She gasped tugging at his shoulders. She pushed his jeans and boxers down his hips the moment he began to prowl back over her.

He pressed his lips against hers as he fished around in the drawer beside the bed for a condom. She bit her lip lustfully as she watched him tear open the packaging with his teeth and roll it down his length. Her eyes danced with desire as he pressed teasingly against her opening.

"Just fuck me already." She moaned and then screamed as he pushed hard and fast all the way into her. "Oh Christ." She moaned as he continued to plunge into her again and again, drilling her into the mattress. Her orgasm built hard and fast and before she knew it she was screaming through it as he grunted through his own release.

"Jesus Christ little lady, I should never have let you go." He murmured as he rolled off her and headed to the bathroom. She smiled watching his back disappear before she stood to follow him.

"Hap?" She addressed him from the doorway. "Can you promise me something?"

"Depends what it is." He said as he flicked the shower on.

"Promise me you won't cheat on me again." She said.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "That's rich coming from the woman who's openly fucking two men at once."

"I know but what we have means something. I wanna know that it isn't tainted by some road slut."

He pulled her into the shower with him and pressed his lips against hers. "You have my word baby. It's just you."

She smiled up at him, content to be back in his arms.

* * *

It was late when she slid out of bed and pulled her underwear on and a t shirt of Happy's over her head. She slipped out the door and padded barefoot down the hallway towards Kozik's door and was relieved to find it unlocked. As silently as she could she opened it and slid inside, closing it again behind her.

"Koz? You awake?" She murmured as she slid into his bed behind him, placing her hand against his back.

"Katie?" He muttered as he rolled to face her.

"Hey." She purred running her hands down his chest.

"What are you doing here?" He asked taking one of her hands in his.

"I want you to make love to me Koz." She whispered through the darkness.

"Katie." he said quietly running his other hand across her hip.

"Kiss me Koz." She murmured, and then sucked in a short sharp breath as his lips met hers, soft and sweet against them. He ran his hand up under the hem of the oversized shirt she wore. He knew it had to be Happy's as he pushed it up to gain access to her bare breasts.

She pressed her tongue against his and moaned into his mouth as hand cupped her breast and tweaked her nipple between his fingers. His touch was tender and loving as he continued to kiss her deeply, moving over her and pulling Happy's shirt over her head.

She pushed his boxers down his hips and whimpered as his fingers brushed the sensitive skin of her hip bones before hooking his thumbs at the waistband of her panties and pushing them down.

She felt him move off her for a moment as he reached for a condom and welcomed the weight of his body back against her once more. She moaned against him as wasted no time in burying himself within her. She tightened her walls around him and drew him in deeper wanting to feel every inch of him.

"Christ Katie." He gasped as she squeezed her walls around him and pressed her pelvis up against him. He raised himself up on his elbows and gazed down at her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He pressed into her keeping a slow and steady rhythm as he watched her eyes roll back in her head as her orgasm hit her. He leaned down and kissed her as he drew out of her and slapped her hip motioning for her to turn over.

She bit her lip and braced herself against the bed frame as he grabbed a hold of her ass and plunged back into her, hard and fast this time. He gripped hard to her shoulder as his balls thwacked against her, his cock hitting hard and deep inside her.

She whimpered as a second orgasm splintered through her just as his thrusts slowed with his own impending release. He let go of her hips and allowed her to collapse, gasping, to the bed below him. He lowered himself to her and kissed a trail up her back. She bit her lip, stifling a giggle as his kisses tickled the skin at her back made more sensitive by the orgasms he'd just given her. She smiled back at him a sweet contented smile.

He'd had his doubts about how this was going to go but seeing the smile on her face as he lay beside her, he could see how happy she was now this was once again on her terms.


End file.
